After Monday’s deadline, the City of Edmonton said it had issued a Notice of Default to Thales, the contractor behind the problem-plagued Metro Line LRT.
The city’s deputy city manager of integrated infrastructure services said the decision to issue the notice came after the April 30, 2018 deadline for Thales to complete its contract for the Metro Line passed.
The deadline was set by councillors in December, 2017.
Adam Laughlin said the notice begins a resolution process under the contract the city has with Thales.
“Publicly, we’ve put Thales on notice that they’re in default, and they have to remedy that situation in a timeframe that’s acceptable to the city, and if they don’t we’re going to a different solution,” Laughlin said in a news conference Tuesday. “If they do, we get the service we originally asked for.”
The line opened to riders in September, 2015, and it was nearly two years behind schedule.
Since then, signalling issues have plagued the system, resulting in slow-speed trains, and errors in the system.
A report in 2017 found dozens of cases where something went wrong with the line, usually issues with brakes and sensors. A handful of those issues were categorized as “risks to the public.”
Mayor Don Iveson issued a statement on Twitter following the city’s announcement. In the statement, Iveson called the move a “line in the sand.”
“We have a contractor that has consistently let down Edmontonians in meeting their contractual obligations to the city,” Iveson said.
“They have failed to achieve the deadline we set and we cannot continue to wait for a solution that may not arrive. Enough is enough.”
Thales will have the chance to respond to the Notice of Default issued Tuesday.
The company issued a statement Tuesday afternoon after the notice was issued. The company said it was “disappointed” by the decision.
“The activities of Thales and the City are mutually dependent, demanding timely coordination and decision-making. We remain committed to delivering the next steps of this project for the benefit of Edmontonians and will continue to work, as we always have, per our contractual obligations.”
The company was awarded the $55 million contract in May, 2011.