"I hope this doesn't mean we will face additional significant costs."

Whenever a politician speaks those words, hide your wallet. In what is a surprising turn of events for the citizens and some councilors, but NOT a surprise to the City of Ottawa, this whole affair looks to spell disaster for Canadian tax payers.

THE ALGONQUIN First Nations have asked the city to stop its proposed light rail transit project until a land claim against a portion of the route has been resolved.

Algonquin Chief Kirby Whiteduck told the Sun yesterday that his council has asked the city not to proceed with the construction that will take the rail line through a portion of the National Capital Commission’s Greenbelt between Leitrim and Hunt Club roads.

…

The province has also said the group has a good case. Negotiations began in January but it could take years before a final settlement is reached with compensation including a mix of Crown land and money.

Here we go. The first of the “add on” costs has started.

City solicitor Rick O’Connor said the city only learned of the issue from the federal government in March and that the project has received environment approval from the provincial and federal governments and will move forward.

“As far as we are concerned it won’t delay the project,” he said.

So the city was aware of the Algonquin claim in March (or earlier), which is about 4 months before they approved the route and no one was notified of this and they plan to go ahead with the LRT. Since negotiations have been ongoing since January, it means others have been aware for at least 6 months and not one peep during the LRT negotiations.

I guess every city is allowed its three quarters of a BILLION dollar Goof Up.

Way to spend our gas tax revenue Mayor Bob. Good job. Ram the LRT through and then stiff Canadians with the compensation bills.