TORONTO – The Ontario government has appointed the Honourable Justice William Hourigan as Commissioner to lead the public inquiry into the commercial and technical circumstances that led to the breakdown and derailment of Stage 1 of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit (LRT) project.

“The challenges plaguing Stage 1 of the Ottawa LRT are unacceptable and disappointing. This public inquiry is a prudent approach to uncovering the cause of these issues and preventing them from happening again,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Establishing the scope of the inquiry and appointing Justice Hourigan is an important step towards the safe implementation of the project, accountability, and value for taxpayer dollars.”

As former Chair of the Litigation Department at Fasken Martineau, Justice Hourigan specialized in complex commercial litigation while in practice. Justice Hourigan has over 25 years of experience in law and public service. He previously served as a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and was later elevated to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2013.

As Commissioner, Justice Hourigan will have a mandate to look into the procurement, delivery and operations of the Ottawa LRT Stage 1 system. He will also be responsible for delivering a report of the Commission’s findings by August 2022, including any recommendations to help ensure the safety of the Ottawa LRT system.