Updated: Wed Mar. 18 2009 15:06:40
ctvottawa.ca
Ontario's municipal affairs minister says key concerns such as ridership and affordability must be addressed before any more provincial money is committed to Ottawa's multi-billion dollar transit plan.
"We don't want to set the city up for failure. So we want to take the time to properly analyze their plan," Jim Watson told CTV Ottawa.
"We just got the request a few days ago and I think it's reasonable to wait for a couple of months while we do our work with professionals in the Ministry of Transportation," he said.
The city has already tripled its request for its new $3.2-billion transit plan, which includes building a downtown tunnel and light rail transit from Blair Road to Tunney's Pasture.
The city is now asking the federal and provincial government to each pitch in one-third of the cost.
The federal government has already said it is willing to commit some funds to the project.
Comments are now closed for this story
Stefan Polacek
But we all know are wonderful City Hall will think forever and then we deceided to do it but guess what ELECTION TIME and they will scrap it and we get GO TO COURT for breaching contract. Thanks federal for the money but we are a lost soul at city hall.
Plank
Stefan's idea might be right.
But City Council might also wait until the last minute, and then decide they have to review several other LRT options, mull over it some more, commission some reports, and then start the process over again-- you know, just to get it right.
Maybe the province and the feds can hold off funding Ottawa 'til over 50% of councillors get replaced, however many elections that takes.
Klaus Beltzner
With the City entrenching density conditions in its TMP and OP to ensure light rail will never get to Orleans, Kanata and Barrhaven, and cementing this with a $207+ million transfer station at Baseline, Minister Watson is right to be concerned about Ottawa's plan to not do light rail right.
