TTC discuss possible sanctions against Bombardier

TORONTO – Toronto’s Transit Commission has had enough.

The TTC’s board meets Wednesday afternoon to vote on whether to penalize Bombardier after the Canadian company failed to meet its deadline on streetcar deliveries again.

“Our end goal in all this is to get streetcars here sooner,” said TTC chair Josh Colle – even if that means using a different supplier altogether.

“What commissioners want to try and do is prepare for any eventuality. … I think commissioners will be asking staff to report back on a lot of the ‘What if?’ scenarios that could be more dire than even what we’ve experienced.”

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On Oct. 16 the TTC said it may pursue legal action against Bombardier after the company told transit officials it won’t meet a December deadline to have 23 of 204 new streetcars in operation.

READ MORE: TTC considering legal action against Bombardier after streetcars delayed again

Bombardier was originally supposed to have 67 streetcars in operation by the end of 2015.

Right now there are only 10 in service.

Colle said the delays have been costly for both the TTC and its riders.

“The biggest cost … is inconvenience and lack of reliability by having 40-year-old streetcars in service when we could have news ones,” Colle said.

“It’s hard to quantify people’s lost time and inconveniences or lack of reliability. But for that person who is trying to get to work and school, it’s significant.”

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The TTC considered penalizing Bombardier in July but held off.

“Bombardier had put out a new schedule and so there was a feeling that we wanted to see if that new commitment would be met,” Colle said.

“Shortly after, we received news that in fact it would not be met. …We brought this back on to the agenda.”

Mayor John Tory spoke told reporters Wednesday morning that Bombardier’s late delivery has a massive impact on thousands of people living in the city.

“I’d like to find whatever the key is to get this company to mobilize more resources and do more things and to show an even greater determination to get these streetcars delivered.”

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Colle added there will be some “tangible and forceful motions” he thinks the commission will approve unanimously.

“It will reflect our frustration to date in terms of their inability and their continued missed commitments and promises.”