Angry Mortgage Doomed Transit Projects? | EP. 137
Sep 2, 2025
J.P. Boutros, Principal at Citius Consultants and a seasoned expert in transit projects, shares his insights on the disarray of Ontario's transit systems. He reveals shocking inefficiencies in key projects like the Crosstown LRT, critiquing the disconnect between political promises and practical execution. The conversation dives into the challenges of aging infrastructure and the complexities of urban transit management, all while highlighting the dire need for accountability and realistic planning. Laughs intermingle with frustrations as he navigates the chaos of civic transit projects.
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Underground LRTs Are More Complex
- An LRT that goes underground adds complexity because vehicles need pantographs and larger tunnel work than subways.
- That technical mismatch makes underground LRTs more costly and harder to deliver than people expect.
No Completion Date, Trains Sitting Idle
- The Crosstown has no reliable public completion date after multiple missed deadlines and revisions.
- Bought trains sat unused for years and risk obsolescence and deterioration from being idle.
Scope Creep Kills Timelines
- Scope creep occurs when agencies add work (pipes, lighting, utility relocations) during excavation, inflating time and cost.
- Each added stakeholder change compounds delays and expensive change orders.