“Can’t spin themselves out of it”: Harden calls out Ford Conservatives’ control over Metrolinx

OTTAWA - MPP Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre), Official Opposition Critic for Transit and Active Transportation, released the following statement expressing deep concern over yet more reports regarding the Ford government's direct control over Metrolinx:

“Instead of improving our transit infrastructure and services, the Ford government seems more interested in saving face. Ontarians who rely on public transportation deserve better, and their needs should be at the forefront of transit management decisions.

The ongoing failures of projects like the Ottawa LRT and the Eglinton Crosstown underscore Metrolinx’s mismanagement and the Conservatives’ excessive reliance on expensive public-private partnerships (P3s) and try as they might, they can’t spin themselves out of it. The people of Ottawa don't want consultants with lousy track records running our LRT. The LRT's repeated closures and the Eglinton Crosstown's never-ending delays and cost overruns have severely impacted commuters, all while the Conservatives line private pockets with public cash.

Metrolinx was designed to operate at arms-length, free from political interference, yet that clearly hasn't been the case since the Ford Conservatives were elected in 2018. The public needs answers from this government about the state of our transit system and its future. Ford should prioritize the needs of the public over his personal interests and work towards an efficient, reliable, and transparent transit system that serves our communities."