Transit Memo Makes City Hall Blood Run Cold

Did anyone feel that little earthquake Tuesday?

People might not have sensed it much in Barrhaven, Kanata or Orleans but if you were anywhere near 110 Laurier Avenue, the earth moved and not in a nice way.

Those shocks were from the collective knees of staffers and pols at Ottawa City Hall whose blood ran cold when they saw a word much strange on Laurier Avenue. Oversight … the horror. Blood so cold you could hear it freezing in staffers’ and pols’ veins. Mr. Freeze lives.

It’s not the first time that word has been heard at city hall, though rarely. And when spoken it pays lip-service to the word if not the action.

But what was truly frightening was that the ‘O-Word’ was used by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, he of the light-rail inquiry … the career-ending probe of all that was wrong LRT. Ford doesn’t fool around with these things. We’ll spare you the details but a number of throats tightened with the release of city manager Wendy Stephanson’s memo of darkness on the uploading of LRT.

Want to know why? As a public service, we give you Stephanson’s memo with your agent’s words in bold scientifically spliced into the memo to provide comment and clarity. You’re welcome.

Ken Gray

Mr. Freeze would have felt right at home in Ottawa City Hall Tuesday.

Wendy Stephanson

City Manager

Subject / Objet Provincial campaign announcement  regarding uploading of O-Train

Date: February 4, 2025

The purpose of this memo is to inform (terrify) the Mayor and Members of Council that, earlier today, Premier Doug Ford made an election campaign-related announcement in Ottawa, proposing an upload of O-Train assets to the Province of Ontario (resignations flood Stephanson’s office … Ottawa Fire declares office a paper hazard).

As previously shared with Members of Council, our existing transit system has a systemic funding  deficit (and no end of deficits such as reliability and maintenance but a surplus of derailments). In keeping with Council direction (it’s not my fault), the City continues to engage the federal and provincial  governments in an effort to secure consistent and predictable funding to provide safe and reliable  transit for the residents of Ottawa (you said “safe” and “reliable”?). Closing transit’s financial gap is a key focus of the Fairness for  Ottawa campaign (what about the public “Unfairness for Ottawans campaign when taxpayers through various levels of government fork out $7 billion for rail but instead get dust).

Should this announcement be implemented, it could align Ottawa’s transit delivery model with  other major Ontario cities (which have systems that work). As the Province has implemented with other municipalities (we are not alone, we didn’t screw up), local transit  entities continue to provide service locally while maintenance and oversight are under provincial  jurisdiction (maintenance and the O-Word, concepts rarely heard in the city ether). Maintaining local transit delivery ensures that services align with community ridership  needs (as they have in the past?).

The announcement today was part of the provincial election campaign; the City of Ottawa has not  entered into any formal negotiations with the Province (not sure there will be much in the way of negotiation with the level of government that totes the hammer. Maybe Stephanson believes the words “do it” constitute negotiations). It would be premature to speculate on  details at this time (or any other time … no but we do get the drift as in the city screwed up bigtime). At the Mayor’s request, City staff will provide Members of Council with an in camera information briefing about the potential financial and legal implications at the February 12,  2025 City Council meeting (council resumes ostrich position … head in sand, butt in air … let’s see you cover-up faux pas when oversight is in the hands of the province that gave you the LRT inquiry).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly (naw, that’s OK).

Sincerely,

Wendy Stephanson

City Manager

(Sincerely,

Ken Gray,

Bull in china shop)

For You:

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Councillors Don’t Get It: BENN

Watson’s On-Time, On-Budget … Kinda: CRERAR

Ford Pledges To Upload O-Train To Province

The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame: OTTAWA

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