Council puzzled over real cost of light rail

Ottawa city councillors got their first real look at the details of the bid to build a north-south light-rail line Wednesday. If they approve the deal, it will be the biggest and most expensive construction project in the city's history.

• FROM JUNE 14, 2006: City unveiling $725-million light-rail plan

But there is still a lot of confusion over the actual cost of the project.

Estimates range from $744 million to more than a billion dollars, depending on who's talking.

City staff claim the bid by the Siemens-PCL/Dufferin group comes to within two per cent of the $730-million target council has already approved.

But that figure doesn't include the $24-million link to the community of Barrhaven that was added to the project, or $220-million in maintenance and operating costs over the next 15 years.

That had several councillors, including Diane Deans, wondering what the real price tag is.

"There is no doubt in my mind that there are additional costs related to the project," she said.

But the project's supporters say it's not fair to lump maintenance and operating costs in with the cost of the project. They also say the link to Barrhaven was never part of the original plan.

The project's biggest supporter, Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli scolded his colleagues for doing some creative accounting.

"It's just absolutely incorrect, and it's totally politicizing the issue to use those types of really untrue numbers," Chiarelli said.

Those who are questioning the figures say they're just looking for the best value for taxpayers.

Councillors have almost a month to mull over details and to get the numbers right before they vote on the bid.