Toronto streetcar delivery to be delayed

Bombardier Transportation last week informed the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) that it won't be able to honor an earlier commitment to deliver 23 new streetcars to Toronto by year’s end.

Currently, 10 streetcars are available for service in the city, TTC officials said in a statement. Based on the original contract schedule, 67 of 204 new streetcars should now be serving customers.

However, Bombardier told the agency that it would only be able to have 16 streetcars service-ready by Dec. 31, according to the TTC.

TTC Chief Executive Officer Andy Byford has recommended that the agency's board bring forward a deferred staff report at its meeting next week regarding potential sanctions that may be levied against Bombardier.

The agency's staff is slated to recommend to the TTC board that it commence legal action, or make a claim allowed for in the contract of $50 million (in Canadian dollars) for late delivery, agency officials said.

TTC will also seek damages for maintenance and overhaul costs of the existing streetcar fleet; service and customer impact costs, such as supplementing streetcar routes with buses; and time spent on the matter, agency officials said.

On July 29, Bombardier committed to providing 23 new streetcars in Toronto by the end of 2015.

Bombardier pinned the latest delay on issues relating to electrical connectors on two of the new streetcars in production, according to a statement cited by the CBC. The train manufacturer also said it's provided TTC with a revised delivery schedule, the CBC reported.