Toronto-York Spadina subway extension delayed until 2017

The opening date of the Toronto-York Spadina subway (TYSSE) extension has been pushed back one year to Dec. 31, 2017, with an estimated budget increase of $150 million.

The cost will be divided between Toronto ($90 million) and York Region ($60 million).

The TTC report recommends a comprehensive project “reset” involving a new third-party project manager.

TtC looking at 4 options for Spadina subway exp – Byford says best option is #1 (third party to manage project for 2017 opening.)

— andrea piunno (@cityandreap) March 20, 2015

 

Byford would not comment on who the the potential third party could be. He said the reason the projects cost more and the time frame being longer is because it takes six months to do a comprehensive request for a proposal.

The report will be presented at the TTC board meeting on March 26. Recommendations from the report for the board include:

1. Endorse the end of 2017 as the earliest date for opening the TYSSE.
2. Retain a third party project-management firm as an incentivized project manager.
3. The City of Toronto and Regional Municipality of York share funding of the increase in projects costs of $150 million.
4. The City of Toronto Council consider funding its portion of costs through mechanisms such as: TTC’s 2014 operating budget surplus, net property sales and/or potential deferral of projects.
5. CEO of TTC to report back by December 31, 2015 on a determination of construction claims costs.
6. Receive the confidential information as set in the Confidential Attachment.
7. Information will be released to the public upon execution of an agreement outlined in recommendation no. 2.

Councillor Shelley Carroll said the money Toronto is putting up for the cost overruns will mean a fare hike.

After speaking for nearly 40 minutes, Byford turned the floor to the media to answer questions, where a recent firing of two TTC employees was brought up.

“I don’t believe in knee-jerks,” says Byford when asked if the decision was a result of Mayor John Tory saying he was furious with the project.

“We have lurched from one fiasco to another costing taxpayers … tens of millions of dollars, and just as important, delaying the day we get desperately needed transit service to move people,” said Tory on March 6.

CityNews reporter Cythnia Mulligan asked Tory “why doesn’t anybody getting fired? We keep hearing about all these cost overruns yet nobody seems to be truly accountable.”

Tory said he thinks that is a “darn good question.”

Byford fired two senior employees amid the cost overruns and delays on Thursday.

In a memo leaked to reporters on Thursday, Byford said the TTC’s Chief Capital Officer Sameh Ghaly and Andy Bertolo, chief project manager for the TYSSE, “are no longer with the organization.”

“As CEO I felt a change in leadership at the TTC was required at this crucial time,” he said.

#TTC CEO Andy Byford stands by Spadina extension completion date of end 2017, saying if date is missed, “I expect to be held accountable”.

— Kevin Misener (@Misener680News) March 20, 2015

Here is a rendering of how the new Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension will appear on the TTC system map when it opens: