Quote:
Originally Posted by Truenorth00
I wouldn't say incompetence in as much as I would say a lack of experience. Why do subways in Toronto cost substantially more than almost anywhere else and take much longer to build? This is what happens when you aren't continuously building rapid transit in the country. There's not as much of an experience and skills base. Nice already has one major line complete, in a country where every city of a few hundred thousand has multiple LRT lines. Ottawa is building a high capacity near-metro LRT line in a country where major transit expansion means only one of our six major cities completing a new line every 10-20 years and maybe a major extension every 5-10 years. Look at Toronto. The Eglinton Line will be the first new line since the Sheppard Subway. That's over two decades.
Aside from that is weather. I really wouldn't discount the difference between trying to build in Ottawa's climate and a city on the Mediterranean coast with the year round temperature between an average low of 5C in January and average daily high of 28C in August. Constructions workers are substantially more productive in temperate climates.
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And you can see this lack of experience with RTG and the struggles they have had. Luckily with the ramp-up in transit projects across Canada over the past 5 - 10 years, this will increase the skilled, experienced work force needed for these projects. The flip side is whether the further increase in transit projects will offset those gains.
One thing I have wondered lately, but haven't had a chance to investigate, is whether there are any colleges or universities in Canada that have programs geared towards getting people into this segment of the construction industry (along with the operation and management side of transit). Having a formal structure to develop the knowledge base and skilled people (be it through degrees, diplomas, apprenticeships, or other certifications) could be a boost to the cause.
Edit: My Dad actually started his career as an industrial electrician with what was then UTDC, after he finished his apprenticeship. For two years he worked on the ALRVs used by the TTC at the Millhaven plant, as was the case with several of his friends. And though he had been gone for a few years, he still got to go to the first public demo of the Mark 1 on the test track. I was there too, and can vaguely remember looking out the front of the cab as it gave a test ride, but I was pretty young so that is the only memory I have of that day.
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