Council to recommend 3rd party run Hamilton LRT for 10 years before transition to public model
Majority of councillors agreed to present plan to Metrolinx, which has the final say
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamil...tion-1.7176847
Hamilton council is expected to recommend that the coming light rail transit (LRT) line be operated by a third party for the first 10 years of its life, before being taken over by the municipality.
The majority of councillors voted in favour of the recommendation Wednesday at the General Issues Committee, despite a push from several delegates, some councillors and other local elected officials to keep LRT operations public from the start.
The decision still has to be ratified formally by council next week. It will then be presented to provincial transit agency Metrolinx, which has the final say, since it will own the LRT.
Metrolinx's chief operating officer of rapid transit, Steve Levene, outlined "the main considerations" the province and Metrolinx will be using to make that call, in a letter submitted ahead of Wednesday's meeting.