Winnipeg City Transit/Rapid Transit

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

And Bombardier couldn't even get the contract for the trains for the line!

Bombardier will probably have the contract for new Azur cars for the extension of the Metro's blue line. Construction shoud start soon.

[BuildUpWpg]

Announced in 2015 and done in 2021...so that's 6 years in total. Still pretty impressive. Over $6 billion with 1.28 billion coming from Trudeau. Sadly the rich cities just get richer while us country bumpkin cities fall further and further behind.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/mont...2021-1.3794873

Originally Posted by Andy6

Montreal is doing 67 km in 3 years? That sounds extremely unlikely. 3 years from when? The timelines for Winnipeg sound similar to what we have in Toronto as well. That’s reality.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by BuildUpWpg

Announced in 2015 and done in 2021...so that's 6 years in total. Still pretty impressive. Over $6 billion with 1.28 billion coming from Trudeau. Sadly the rich cities just get richer while us country bumpkin cities fall further and further behind.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/mont...2021-1.3794873

We’ll check back in 2021 and see how much of it is actually done.

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by Andy6

We’ll check back in 2021 and see how much of it is actually done.

CDPQi said that only the 1st phase will be done by 2021, which is the Rive-Sud to Gare Centrale portion. the whole project will be completed in 2023.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

We're comparing Winnipeg and Montreal. There is no comparison.

I worked a bit on the Montreal project and its taken much longer than 3 years. Also $6.3 billion. Anyways I do agree shit in Winnipeg is sometimes ridiculous.

Winnipeg wouldn't even know what to do with $6.3 billion. Probably dreamscape or something like that.

Sure we would. Give 47% of that $6.3 billion to the police and fire departments for starters...

[esquire]

Bowman is accusing the province of backing out of its funding commitment for Phase II SW BRT.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/lo...473952473.html

Province trying to break signed deal with city on transit corridor, mayor says

By: Aldo Santin

Mayor Brian Bowman has accused the provincial government of reneging on a signed deal to contribute towards the costs of the construction of second phase of the southwest transit corridor.

Bowman said the Conservative government is trying to renegotiate terms of the deal it signed after winning the election, adding the changes the province wants will impact Winnipeg property taxpayers.

"We’ve been advised that (the Pallister government has) made it very clear they are not providing funds under the current contribution agreement as contemplated in the current funding agreement until such time as amendments are made," Bowman told reporters Tuesday. "It’s significant dollars. There are monies that have been owed that are not being paid at the present time by the provincial government."

Under the terms of the original funding agreement for the project, city hall and the province were to each contribute $225 million and Ottawa the remaining $137.3 million.

The overall cost of the project was subsequently lowered by $120 million as a result of a series of cost-saving moves implement by the consortium building the corridor, with the savings to be shared equally by all three levels of government.

However, Bowman said now the province is disputing terms of the deal that reference the built-in contingency funds.

...

It is downright tragi-comic how even our pathetically modest rapid transit goals are still proving to be almost unattainable. I swear Saskatoon will have a full-on subway system and we're still going to be dickering over who pays the cost of finishing SW BRT.

[dmacc]

Unfortunately I don't know how to take this. Bowman is notorious for crying in the media over issues he doesn't have all the information to.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by esquire

It is downright tragi-comic how even our pathetically modest rapid transit goals are still proving to be almost unattainable. I swear Saskatoon will have a full-on subway system and we're still going to be dickering over who pays the cost of finishing SW BRT.

Saskatchewan learns from our mistakes. In fact they have been talking about a BRT system.

This is down-right pathetic. Bring in a new generation of politicians.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by dmacc

Unfortunately I don't know how to take this. Bowman is notorious for crying in the media over issues he doesn't have all the information to.

He is after all a Trudeau protege.

Nothing wrong with the province trying to safeguard and get more insight into what they are contributing to, hell the Jubilee BRT station priced at a cost of $8 M for an open air canopy with a few bench seats comes to mind as being totally out of whack in terms of costs! Someone has to be ultimately accountable and the city has proven time and time again that they are incapable of doing that.

[dmacc]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

He is after all a Trudeau protege.

Nothing wrong with the province trying to safeguard and get more insight into what they are contributing to, hell the Jubilee BRT station priced at a cost of $8 M for an open air canopy with a few bench seats comes to mind as being totally out of whack in terms of costs! Someone has to be ultimately accountable and the city has proven time and time again that they are incapable of doing that.

Just an FYI, it isn't open air. There is a heated bus shack there and at all BRT stations.

[buzzg]

This is not on the city - the province signed a deal and now wants to change it. That's not how life works. Especially for a project already under construction.

Honestly for as lacklustre as Bowman has been, I'm glad that with our current disaster of a provincial government, we at least have a mayor that's willing to stand up to the dumb sh*t they try to pull.

[dmacc]

Originally Posted by buzzg

This is not on the city - the province signed a deal and now wants to change it. That's not how life works. Especially for a project already under construction.

Honestly for as lacklustre as Bowman has been, I'm glad that with our current disaster of a provincial government, we at least have a mayor that's willing to stand up to the dumb sh*t they try to pull.

In the provinces defense, an amendment is required and needs to be signed off on as the terms of the agreement have changed due to the lower price and and scope of the project has changed. A new scope and pricing agreement need to be written up and signed before the agreement can be executed otherwise it opens the door to costly litigation.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by dmacc

In the provinces defense, an amendment is required and needs to be signed off on as the terms of the agreement have changed due to the lower price and and scope of the project has changed. A new scope and pricing agreement need to be written up and signed before the agreement can be executed otherwise it opens the door to costly litigation.

The cost savings contingencies were already built into the original agreement, it stated clearly where any savings would be going. To me, the province has zero good will left to give them any benefit of the doubt that this isn't more than them just trying to back out of more funding and dump it on the city.

[dmacc]

Originally Posted by buzzg

The cost savings contingencies were already built into the original agreement, it stated clearly where any savings would be going. To me, the province has zero good will left to give them any benefit of the doubt that this isn't more than them just trying to back out of more funding and dump it on the city.

I guess we will see how it plays out but I remember Bowman calling out True North and Chipman over backroom deals. When in reality the processes which were put in place by the city were followed. it turned out his frustration should have been directed more internally instead of lashing out at someone who was following the rules set out in front of them.

It seems like the province is just trying to do it's due diligence.

"Caitlin MacGregor, a spokesperson for the PC government, said contingency funds are not eligible for funding under a federal program that pays for public-private partnerships such as the transitway deal.

As a result, the province's desire to amend the deal stems solely from the change in project cost from $587 million to $467 million."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...ding-1.4533408

Granted I am not naive and see how this could be the province just trying to delay the project to improve the outlook of their budget but I suggest we hold judgement until all the facts are known.

[buzzg]

Yeah but look at how the province has been fighting the feds on so many issues, when all other provinces are on board.

[dmacc]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Yeah but look at how the province has been fighting the feds on so many issues, when all other provinces are on board.

That's not at all relevant because I am a conservative and dislike the liberal and NDP agendas.

However, Palister is refusing to enter into agreements with the feds they feel negatively impact Manitoba. They aren't trying to impede the process but are instead exercising their right prior to signing.

This issue with the amendment is that nothing can move forward until it is ratified. If Bowman was in the right and Palister was doing something untoward then I'm sure he would be bringing his case to court instead of just crying foul. In the end you may be right and Palister may be doing something wrong in which case things will be taken to litigation but until then I suggest we reserve judgment.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by dmacc

Just an FYI, it isn't open air. There is a heated bus shack there and at all BRT stations.

Osborne Station might as well be open air. It's basically a wind tunnel with unheated concrete benches and button-activated heaters hanging 10 feet over everyone's heads, accomplishing nothing

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by buzzg

This is not on the city - the province signed a deal and now wants to change it. That's not how life works. Especially for a project already under construction.

Honestly for as lacklustre as Bowman has been, I'm glad that with our current disaster of a provincial government, we at least have a mayor that's willing to stand up to the dumb sh*t they try to pull.

If your calling the current govt. a disaster what would you call the seventeen year NDP regime which drove Manitoba into this financial abyss?

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by dmacc

Just an FYI, it isn't open air. There is a heated bus shack there and at all BRT stations.

My bad, the $8 million dollar open air canopy with benches and a heated bus shack, now I know why it cost $8 million!

[esquire]

Did this station really cost $8 million? I wonder how much was the station itself vs. the road leading up to it and other elements that aren't necessarily part of "the station".