Crash Inquiry: Why Not Prompt And Complete?

This is The Bulldog’s response to the lawyer’s letter written in response to the conclusion of the OC Transpo-Westboro bus crash coroner’s inquiry.

Editor Ken Gray’s comments are in brackets and boldface.

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Mayor and Members of Council:

Further to my memorandum of March 31, 2025, I am writing to inform you that earlier this afternoon, the Jury in the Westboro Collision Coroner’s Inquest released its verdict and recommendations (note this is a lawyer’s letter).

Following an inquest that spanned nearly a month, the Jury has, in accordance with the Coroners Act, answered questions relating to the deaths of Judy Booth, Bruce Thomlinson, and Anthonia Van Beek, who tragically lost their lives as a result of injuries sustained when an OC Transpo bus collided with the structure at Westboro Transitway Station on January 11, 2019.

As stipulated under the Coroners Act, the Jury is not empowered to assign legal responsibility or make legal conclusions (however that doesn’t stop the city from issuing a lawyer’s letter. The concern seems to be about the law.). However, it has issued 60 recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future. Of these, 41 recommendations are directed to the City of Ottawa, with others directed to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Alexander Dennis Limited, the Government of Canada, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), Transport Canada, the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), the Ontario Public Transit Association (OPTA), and the Province of Ontario (looks better when you spread around the blame … question? … Whose bus was that again?).

The City appreciates the important work of the Jury in formulating these recommendations (it’s too bad the city doesn’t appear to appreciate the deaths and catastrophic injuries in this letter that occurred when the OC Transpo bus struck the awning of an OC Transpo station). As such, the City will take the necessary time (how long does “necessary time” take … two weeks? A month? Two months? A year? Two years? Just how long does it take by municipal standard time to make the corrections the coroner’s jury recommends? After all, it took six years for reflective tape to be hastily put up at Lincoln Fields station during the inquiry to ensure the safety of OC Transpo’s clients) to carefully review and assess them (That could take some time. We take you back to the tale of the tape at Lincoln Fields). As indicated in my memorandum of March 31, 2025, staff will report back to Transit Committee and Council in due course (When is due course exactly? Six years from now? OC Transpo must be very, very, very careful) with a full response (will it be a full response? Can we trust the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo to provide a full response? Will it be on-time and on-budget? Will it be lawyered? There’s nothing that says we care more than a lawyer’s letter) (what is wrong with saying we will respond promptly and completely … and actually doing it?).

(This letter shows an abundance of caution)

Thank you.

STUART HUXLEY

City Solicitor (Interim)

Office of the City Solicitor

The evening of the crash.

For You:

Show Some Humanity Over Bus Crash: THE VOTER

City Commits To ‘Take Time’ On Inquest Requests

Ottawa’s First Measles Cases Confirmed

Carling Ave. Botched For Transit: QUOTABLE

Why Can’t Ottawa Get Transit Right? THE VOTER

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