LRT Inquiries: City officials defend the decision not to inform Congress about early test run failures

Monday, Mayor Steve Kanellakos, July and August During Phase 1 of the LRT test run, he defended his decision not to notify the city council of early and frequent failures. In 2019, he said he thought it was best to wait until the test was completed and the system passed or failed.

He also makes it easier for the Redo Transit Group to pass the final hurdle in passing the Confederation Line into the hands of the city by lowering the required test criteria. Denied what was done for.

Kanellakos relies on expert advice on test criteria, and notifying the council only after the system has passed may interfere with daily results. He said he felt it was in the best interests.

"I would like to provide an independent certifier and an independent safety auditor with a certificate that basically states that the system is appropriate, ready and secure. I was counting on it, "Canellakos testified on the 15th day of the Ottawa LRT Committee. inquiry. "That's what I had to rely on. I couldn't rely on how to make sausages."

Canelacos and the city from a loop about LRT during the testing phase. Attacked by a councilor who felt off, he made decisions about the project on Monday as mayor, with his authority to negotiate, approve, execute, provide, modify, and extend contracts. If the council was not satisfied with his achievements, he said it could have modified or withdrawn his authority.

Kaneracos likened his decision to write a college exam when it comes to updating the entire council only after the testing phase has been successfully completed.

"It's like sitting in college and writing a three-hour exam. The first three questions don't work, but I pass the next 15 questions and pass the exam. Questions If you're supposed to report after 3 and the first 3 questions don't work, what's the value of the conversation because you haven't finished the next 17 questions? You have to finish the whole exam. No. "

He also defended the decision to change the total vehicle kilometer ratio (AVKR) of the commissioning and set the test threshold to 9 out of 12 days. Changed from 98% to 96%. Achieving 98% is very difficult, including Thomas Prendergast of STV Inc., which is part of an independent evaluation team in Phase 1, and the numbers below do not affect the functional capabilities or safety of the system. Guaranteeed him.

Canellakos' testimony, which lasted more than four hours, contradicts Mayor Jim Watson's claim that last week a decision was made on the city's poor light rail system by a group that included Watson Chief of Staff Serge Arpin. Did. Chairman and Councilor Allan Hubley, and former OC Transpo General Manager John Manconi. Canellakos said the group had some discussions about WhatsApp instant messaging and VOIP services, but the mayor and someone else pressured and uncomfortable to open the Confederation Line before it became safe. He said he never made a decision. When.

"We were under pressure," he admitted. "It was embarrassing, but it does not change or influence my judgment in terms of what we need to do. Approval by an independent certifier and an independent safety auditor. I was much more aware that if I didn't get it, we would go back to the council and tell them not to launch.

"The problem is I didn't, "he said. "We did it four other times before, and I did it when the train derailed last year. I put the train back until approved by a safety auditor and safety consultant. So I didn't have any problems returning to the council. I wasn't pressured to change my decisions or decisions. "

Kanellakos added that keeping the mayor and transit chairs informed of progress is the "norm" in the management of local governments.

Monica Sechiari, who headed the Altus Group's independent certifier or IC team, also testified on Monday, completing monthly site inspections and reports, approving milestone payments, and providing dispute resolution. , Said that editing is one of the obligations of the IC. A list of defects and deferrals that need to be addressed before the Revenue Service Availability (RSA) is approved.

Sechiari also confirmed Altus' decision that the sinkhole opened in June 2016 was not a significant factor in delaying the project.

It was also IC's job to verify the results of trail running. This is a big step towards operational approval, but in response to a question from the city's lawyer, Monica Gleason-Mercier, Sechiari is a standard agreed upon by the city and the RTG project group.

At the tense moment of Sekiari's testimony, Alstom adviser Jackie van Leeuwen approved the test to be run by Altus IC Kyle Campbell, who said, "Qualification for this important task. Admitted that it was not in the patent. " , "The accusation that Sekiari argued.

"I disagree with the statement," she replied. "He was the one who did it. He was the most familiar with the job. He was on my IC team and has been working with him for over two years."

She also testified that she was unaware that she was pressing to open the Confederation Line before she was ready.

The general public can use the video screen at the Fauteux Hall at the University of Ottawa, onlinewww.ottawalrtpublicinquiry.ca, or LRT on Rogers TV (English channels 470 and 471). You can see the inquiry hearing. In French).

On Tuesday, investigators will hear testimony from Larry Gaul of STV Inc. in the morning and from Troy Charter, the city's transport director, in the afternoon.