The Ford government is facing renewed calls to fire Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster after the head of the provincial transit agency said he was “not going to guess” when the Eglinton Crosstown would be fully operational.
The light-rail transit project, which first began construction in 2011 with a planned in-service date of September 2021, has been mired in delays and deficiencies, leaving taxpayers with no clear timeline on when trains will start rolling.
During a tour of the transit line on Friday, Verster refused to provide an opening date, citing the need to address issues that are being discovered on an “ongoing basis.”
When pressed on the opening date, however, Verster said he was “not going to guess which year it is.”
The response, according to NDP transportation critic Joel Harden, was the “final insult” leading to a new call for his ouster.
“This is a guy who makes four times what the premier of Ontario makes to fail the people of the GTA in transit projects,” Harden told Global News, pointing to Verster’s $856,552 salary in 2022.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said he is “not happy” with the delays but wouldn’t provide an opening date either.
“People have a right to know that date,” Sarkaria told Global News at Queen’s Park. “As soon as I have a date, a credible date, that we know the parties can meet we will make sure the public knows that date.”
Sarkaria said the province needs to ensure that Crosslinx Transit Solutions, a consortium of companies building the largely completed line, is hitting its milestones in order to determine the date.
When asked about Verster’s contract, which was renewed by the Ford government until late 2026, Sarkaria said he’s committed to holding all parties accountable.
Harden said he hasn’t seen the government hold the senior leadership at Metrolinx accountable.
“Accountability for me means Mr. Verster is let go from this position.”
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