Hamilton city council discusses report suggesting private operator to run LRT

Hamilton city councillors heard from delegates and city staff Monday about a report recommending the use of an external contractor to operate and maintain the LRT for the first 10 years.

While some voiced support for the staff recommendation, many others were against it.

Councillors have now voted to postpone the vote on the decision to the General Issues Committee meeting on March 21, when all councillors will be present.

The report suggests that while the city focuses on direct passenger relations in areas such as customer service and security, all other operations would be contracted out to third party groups.

These contracted operations would be inclusive of facility control and maintenance, along with actually driving the vehicles themselves.

WATCH MORE: City of Hamilton report suggests contracted operator to run LRT

It proposes a 10-year contract to allow the LRT to get up-and-running before a decision is made whether to continue the use of private contractors.

This use of third party operators, supported by consultant Dennis Fletcher and Associates, is what the report says will lead to the least “risk” to the city while reaching what could be the lowest costs possible to run the LRT.

However, the report did not offer concrete estimates of what the true operating costs would be under any of the four models proposed to run the LRT.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107 was one of the voices against the LRT being privately run, with the president saying he is concerned a privatized system would cut costs with the burden ultimately falling on workers.

Toronto councillor Josh Matlow warned against a privatized system based on experience from that city’s Eglinton Crosstown rapid transit line.

WATCH MORE: Metrolinx announces major re-route of Hamilton LRT project

At Monday’s meeting, Ward 2 councillor Cameron Kroetch asked councillors to vote against the private-public partnership.

“Based on the discussions I’ve been part of, based on what I’ve heard today, based on what I experienced from across the continent, we know that keeping these projects public can have a range of benefits,” said Kroetch.

“Some of those benefits extend beyond the sort of rubric that we saw today, but a couple important things that came out from model four. Greatest opportunity to influence ideas. That’s inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility and we heard a whole delegation about some of the accessibility concerns and I think we have to be concerned about that.”

The city’s decision in March will serve solely as an endorsement before a final decision is made by Metrolinx.