Leiper Dodges The Real Trillium Line Issue

Published 02/03/2025 · Updated 02/03/2025

This from Kitchissippi Councillor Jeff Leiper’s newsletter.

Audit Committee will meet on February 10 to consider a meaty agenda that includes an investigation of the Trillium Line training program, an investigation of Building Code Services, the 2024 fraud and waste hotline report, as well as an update on the Auditor General’s workplan and progress. Documentation and the full agenda for that meeting are available here.

Well ain’t that grand.

Here we have $100 million involved with lawsuits against TransitNext, the builder of the Trillium Line, the north-south route being two years late and a contract for the Trillium Line in which the winner of it failed the technical specifications for the contract twice.

Could the $100 million be tied to bad technical work? Could the delay be traced to bad technical work?

Doesn’t the awarding of the contract warrant in investigation by the auditor general? But Nathalie Gougeon has steadfastly avoided that audit.

Instead there’s a probe of the Trillium Line training program. Gougeon fiddles with minutia while the big questions remain unanswered. Where is Gougeon on this?

Might this be an issue the councillor from Kitchissippi might address? Possibly encourage a real audit of a real and vital issue?

Apparently that didn’t cross Leiper’s mind. Or worse, the councillor is choosing to ignore this important issue. Why is the AG not looking into the questions posed above? That said, we’re sure Ottawans are reassured that their tax money is being well spent at the Trillium Line training program. That program is a rounding error compared to the other issues.

Furthermore, where is the federal government on this and the provincial government as well. They both have money in the Trillium Line. Our money.

Get some courage, councillor, as though it takes courage to ask for a probe of a poorly run project.

The Trillium Line has serious questions surrounding it. Maybe we will have to wait for the next municipal election to get a serious councillor from Kitchissippi.

Ken Gray

This newsletter excerpt is courtesy of the city-wide community group Your Applewood Acres (And Beyond) Neighbours