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OC Transpo's problems can't be fixed by one person | Opinion

Randall Denley: Rick Leary has a solid CV, but he will find a huge gap between what we can afford and the transit system that some demand.

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Surprise was my first reaction to the announcement that former Toronto transit boss Rick Leary would be the new head of OC Transpo. Yes, Leary has long experience running the transit operation in a city bigger than ours, but Toronto’s transit system seems plagued with the same kind of problems and public dissatisfaction as ours.

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Would this be the transit equivalent of the Ottawa Senators hiring deposed Maple Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving on the premise that he had experience in Toronto?

In choosing Leary, Ottawa is relying heavily on the idea that his work in Toronto, York Region and Boston means that he will bring both fresh eyes and a veteran’s expertise to help resolve the city’s transit problems.

Those include the latest unresolved technical issue with LRT trains, a shortage of buses, unreliable service, middling ridership and high expectations from a vocal transit lobby. And let’s not forget the OC Transpo money problems. The transit service finished 2025 with a $52 million deficit and is looking at something similar this year, pending promised assistance from the provincial government.

The idea that any one person, no matter how experienced, could untangle this knot of interlocking problems is perhaps optimistic. To be fair, it’s not nearly as ridiculous believing choosing a different mayor or councillors in this fall’s election would fix things.

Leary’s first priority will be to create a plan to restore rail service, which has been limited since most trains were taken out of service due to a wheel bearing issue. It’s surprising, or perhaps not, that such a plan does not already exist. The trains have been out of action since Jan. 21.

The problem seems to be a lack of timely attention from Rideau Transit Maintenance, the private sector consortium that is contracted to maintain and repair the trains. The businesses behind the consortium are big international companies with a lot on their plates, but that’s no excuse for dragging their heels on a solution to light rail’s latest mechanical problem.

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While Mayor Mark Sutcliffe naturally talked up Leary’s experience and abilities at the press conference introducing the new transit chief, the public shouldn’t expect any miracles. The transit system’s problems are complex and they aren’t going to be fixed by pulling this managerial lever instead of that one.

That said, Leary’s appointment might prove to be fortuitously timed. New electric buses are arriving, which will alleviate the bus shortage. That should help reduce unreliability and improve on-time performance. When the province finally makes good on its promise to upload LRT costs, it will take off much of the financial pressure facing OC Transpo.

Public perception might prove to be the toughest problem Leary faces. The idea that OC Transpo is a unique disaster is deeply embedded, although transit systems elsewhere face similar problems.

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It will take consistent and visible service improvements before people change their minds about the local transit system, and even then Leary will find a gap between what OC Transpo can afford to deliver and the ideal transit system that some demand.

That would be the one where you can get anywhere in the city by transit quickly, reliably and cheaply, but not just that. Transit’s greatest enthusiasts envision a free system with greatly expanded service, choosing to ignore that this would lower revenue while increasing costs for a service that already requires $900 million a year to operate.

While improving the performance of OC Transpo, Leary will need to simultaneously give the public a realistic assessment of what can be achieved. Ottawa doesn’t have the population density for the intensive transit people see in more compact European cities. The sweet spot is certainly more than the public is getting now, but significantly less than some would like.

The challenges are large, but let’s give the new guy a year to show us what he can do.

Randall Denley is an Ottawa journalist and author. Contact him at randalldenley1@gmail.com

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