When it comes to Eglinton LRT, who is in charge?

‘This is the kind of project that threatens companies.’ An exclusive first look inside the Eglinton LRT as Crosslinx breaks silence on what’s gone wrong, May 20

This article includes a quote from Metrolinx that the Eglinton LRT will not open “until it is fully operational and safe for transit workers and riders.”

Who makes this determination?

Is it Infrastructure Ontario, who mandated that their Alternative Procurement and Financing (AFP) process be used to deliver the new transit line? Is it Metrolinx, who specified the requirements for the new transit line? Is it the consortium contracted to design and build the infrastructure for the new transit line in accordance with these requirements? Is it the entity that is supplying the light rail vehicles that will operate on the new transit line? Is it the entity that is supplying the signalling and train control system for the new transit line? Is it an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA)?

Or is it the TTC that will have the actual responsibility to operate the new transit line safely, reliably and efficiently for the decades to come?

If there are differences in opinion between the various parties as to what constitutes a safe/operable transit line, how are such disagreements being resolved?

If a collaborative safety certification and system acceptance process wasn’t clearly specified and accepted by all parties at the start of the project — which would appear to be the case — it should be of no surprise that conflicts are now arising as the project approaches the transition from the design/build phase to an operations/maintenance phase, with the handover from contractors/suppliers to operators and maintainers.

Alan F. Rumsey, Kingston