Trillium Line testing underway, but opening still months off

The next phase of Ottawa's expanding light rail transit system is once again behind schedule, with transit staff suggesting the north-south Trillium Line will open sometime between July and September.

No firm deadline was given for opening during Thursday's regular progress update at the light rail subcommittee.

"We are down to the last few steps on the Trillium Line," Michael Morgan, director of the City of Ottawa's rail construction program, told councillors. "The progress is very good."

Morgan said training for the operators and maintenance should be completed in three months, with controllers slightly behind that.

Final testing will take another month, according to Morgan.

"It doesn't mean September. Equally, we've lost April," he said, alluding to the city's earlier aim to open in the spring. "We need to give the builders time to fix things."

Trains are being tested along the route, which is set to run from the junction at Bayview station to the existing east-west line, through Carleton University and south to Limebank station and the Airport spur line.

Morgan said the testing is going well, thanks in part to the winter snowfall, and defects are being detected and addressed.

When the line was closed in 2020 for the extension, it was set to reopen in 2022.