The head of OC Transpo has informed Ottawa city councillors that it is possible to open the eastern LRT extension to Orléans by the first quarter of 2026. This timeline represents a delay from the previously projected opening at the end of this year.
During a council meeting on Monday, Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney requested an updated timeline from Troy Charter, the interim general manager of transit services. Charter emphasized the importance of ensuring readiness before launching the system, stating that although several factors still need to align, achieving the Q1 target is feasible.
OC Transpo plans to conduct a technical briefing in the upcoming weeks to offer a detailed explanation of the timelines. The extension’s opening has faced delays in the past, with initial plans in 2017 aiming for a 2022 opening to Trim Road, which was later rescheduled to 2024.
Despite ongoing testing and commissioning phases, the system has not yet reached substantial completion. Following this milestone, OC Transpo will proceed with a comprehensive trial running phase lasting a minimum of 21 days before the public launch.
Regarding the west extension to Algonquin College and Moodie Drive stations, Richard Holder, the director of the rail construction program, stated that substantial completion is targeted for the latter part of 2026.