Bombardier has released an updated rollout schedule for delivering streetcars to Toronto, as the TTC board weighs options for banning the Canadian company from bidding on future contracts.
According to the initial rollout schedule, Bombardier was expected to deliver 50 new state-of-the-art streetcars by May. They are being made at a cost of $1.25 billion. But manufacturing issues, including faulty doors and peeling laminates, have meant Bombardier has fallen repeatedly on their short-term goals.
"I am kind of sick of their excuses at this point," TTC Chair Josh Colle told reporters at City Hall Wednesday morning. "I think our riders deserve better from Bombardier. We've been extremely patient both as a commission and as a city council that has invested a billion dollars in this company and these vehicles."
In an updated production timeline, Bombardier said in a statement on Wednesday that it will ramp up manufacturing in September to deliver four vehicles per month. "Bombardier has taken a strategic step back to ensure consistent quality in every step of its manufacturing process, from its sites in Thunder Bay and Sahagun (Mexico) to its critical supply chain," the company said.
It will still aim to deliver all 204 streetcars by the end of 2019.
In June, the TTC's top brass met with Bombardier officials at its Thunder Bay, Ont., plant to discuss the possibility of ramping up production. Following the face-to-face meeting, Bombardier vowed at the time to complete one new streetcar every five days.
There are currently fewer than 10 new streetcars in operation.
Bombardier's latest production schedule comes as the TTC board is discussing the possibility of banning the firm from bidding on future contracts due to "poor performance."
A staff report prepared for Wednesday's meeting notes that that the "TTC reserves the right to either prohibit a company from bidding or not awarding a contract to a company with a poor performance history, based on documented contractor performance ratings."
The report, which has a confidential attachment, also says the TTC has the ability to "enforce the liquated damages provision and/or terminate the contract, if certain conditions exist."
The publicly released portion of the document, however, does not recommend cutting ties with Bombardier in regards to future bids.