Ottawa’s light-rail transit will not open its expanded north-south line until at least April 2024, a 20-month delay to the expected delivery date in the original contract.
The last update from the city’s transit services in August had estimated the line could be opened as soon as November.
But OC Transpo head Renée Amilcar says that in the name of caution, the transit agency is delaying a public opening, though it is seeking a handover from contractors as soon as possible.
She says the decision means there will be more time to test the system and ensure proper training.
The extended Trillium Line will run south from Bayview Station, which is part of the city’s east-west transit line, past the Ottawa International Airport to Limebank Station near the Riverside South neighbourhood.
Last month, the city estimated a eastward extension of the existing line is on track for 2025 and a westward expansion is expected to open in late 2026.