Statement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger on the Ontario Auditor General’s report of Cost Estimates of Hamilton’s Light Rapid Transit (LRT) Project

HAMILTON, ON – I welcome the determination by the Ontario Auditor General, contained in today’s Cost Estimates of Light Rapid Transit (LRT) Project report, indicating the Hamilton LRT project’s $5.5-billion cost estimate reported by the Minister of Transportation in December 2019, when the project was cancelled, was reasonable.

What is not reasonable is the Minister of Transportation cancelling a project’s procurement process prior to its completion and prior to speaking with private sector and Third-Party partners who indicated their interest in assisting the funding of both capital and operational costs of the LRT.

Hamilton’s LRT project is shovel ready and ready to go ensuring economic benefits can be realized faster. The project will create thousands of jobs, economic uplift, increase affordable housing, cut CO2 emissions and will replace aging underground services such as water and waste water which would otherwise be the responsibility of local property taxpayers.

Premier Doug Ford has repeatedly confirmed his willingness to work with the City of Hamilton to bring the LRT project to life. The premier also shared at today’s media briefing, in regards to Hamilton’s LRT, that “One way or another we’re going to get the LRT built.” I look forward to working with Premier Ford and his ministers to get this project back on track.