$34 million needed to refurbish aging streetcars due to Bombardier delay

The TTC is considering spending tens of millions of dollars to repair its aging streetcar fleet as it awaits the arrival of new vehicles to replace them.

The transit commission was supposed have 80 state-of-the-art streetcars by now, but Bombardier has only delivered 18, TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the TTC said starting in April it expects to get four new streetcars from Bombardier per month, a total of 54 streetcars until the end of 2016.

But as the TTC continues the long wait for streetcars, the old streetcars are continuing to break down. So, the TTC needs to spend $34 million to refurbish 30 old streetcars.

“We need to maintain service levels to our customers. We were anticipating more of the new streetcars by now,” Ross told 680 NEWS.

The TTC board is meeting Wednesday to approve $34 million to keep some of its older streetcars in service, which includes an estimated $9.1 million to overhaul 30 streetcars. The report then heads to city council for approval.

In its staff report, TTC officials said the money is needed due to the “continued delays in new low floor streetcar delivery,” and so, the existing streetcars have to be kept in service longer.

“We know the fleet that it exists today is breaking down more and more frequently because of their age – 30-35 years old in some cases. Parts are no longer available for these streetcars. We make our own parts,” Ross said.

The TTC plans to force Bombardier to reimburse the repair bill under the ‘liquidated damages clause’ in the existing streetcar contract.

The maiden federal Liberals budget, which was tabled on Tuesday, promises a stash of money to improve transit across the country, which TTC chair Josh Colle said is “good news” for Toronto.

The budget sets aside $11.9 billion for improvements to transit, water and green infrastructure and social infrastructure. Out of that, $3.4 billion will be invested in public transit over the next three years, starting in 2016-17.

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Money for the transit investment will come from Ottawa’s Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. The federal government states some of the TTC projects could include buying new streetcars, subway cars, low-floor buses.

In a statement, Colle said the transit system has “too many service delays due to aging infrastructure” and that the budget is a “substantial step in reversing this trend.”

He also said Ottawa’s $3.4 billion will be vital in addressing the TTC’s $2.7-billion backlog of underfunded repairs.

“[The TTC] can now accelerate much needed efforts to modernize our subway system, acquire new buses, and upgrade our streetcar network,” he said.

Colle said the federal investment will help the TTC provide more reliable service, fewer disruptions and less crowding.

At the board meeting, TTC staff will also be discussing lower than expected ridership numbers. TTC numbers show there are four million fewer riders this year compared to the first two months of last year. Board member Coun. Shelley Carroll told the Toronto Star on Tuesday she wants the transit authority to devise a new ridership growth strategy.