TTC: Bombardier will miss streetcar delivery deadline

Bombardier Transportation won't be able to deliver all 70 streetcars as promised to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) by Dec. 31, the agency announced yesterday.

The company has revised the figure to 65 units — a change that TTC officials decried as "extremely disappointing and frustrating."

"This is completely unacceptable. The TTC is having to continue to use buses on streetcar routes to meet ridership demand," said TTC Chair Josh Colle and TTC Chief Executive Officer Andy Byford in a joint statement.

The TTC expected to have 146 new streetcars in service by now, but only 45 are running, they said. The agency in 2009 signed a CA$1 billion order for 204 streetcars. Bombardier has missed multiple delivery schedules since then, the Toronto Star reported.

The company pinned the most recent delay on supply chain issues. Bombardier is working to improve production by opening a second site for final assembly, according to the newspaper.

The TTC is pursuing a CA$50 million legal claim against Bombardier for its failure to meet delivery targets. In addition, the agency's board has directed staff to pursue other potential suppliers for future streetcar orders.

In the meantime, TTC is working to keep its old streetcars running as long as possible, Colle and Byford said in their statement.