Consulting engineering firms to participate in OLRTC public hearings

Photo courtesy RTG.

Justice William Hourigan, recently appointed commissioner to lead the independent Ottawa Light Rail Transit Commission (OLRTC) inquiry, has released his decision on who—including consulting engineering firms—will be participating in its public hearings.

As commissioner, Hourigan has a mandate to investigate the commercial and technical circumstances that led to breakdowns and derailments of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) system. The public hearings will be held in June at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, in the Ian G. Scott Courtroom, following two public meetings at the Shaw Centre on May 25 and 26.

The following applicants have received full standing as participants in the inquiry:

• Rideau Transit Group (RTG) and Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) General Partnership: ACS Infrastructure Canada, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin.
• Ottawa Light Rail Transit Constructors (OLRT-C): Dragados Canada, SNC-Lavalin and EllisDon.
• Morrison Hershfield.
• Alstom Transport Canada.
• Thales Canada.
• Transport Action Canada.
• Infrastructure Ontario (IO).
• City of Ottawa.
• Province of Ontario.
• Amalgamated Transit Union 279 (ATU 279).

All of the participants were significant players in the events that led to the implementation of the project, including tendering process, construction and ongoing operation.

The following applicants received a limited right of standing:

• STV.
• David Knockaert.
• Justin Kelly.

Further details on the public hearings will be updated regularly on the OLRTC’s website.