Metrolinx sends axles to help fix Ottawa’s LRT vehicles

An Ottawa city councillor expressed frustration over OC Transpo's timeline for the LRT east extension, saying he thinks it's unlikely to be completely at the date officials say it will.

By Natasha O'Neill

Posted Apr 15, 2026 01:24:05 PM.

Last Updated Apr 15, 2026 01:37:42 PM.

A provincial transportation agency sent Ottawa new axles to help fix the dozens of light rail transit (LRT) vehicles still out of service from a issue found in January.

In a social media post, Mayor Mark Stucliffe confirmed that Metrolinx sent axles to OC Transpo to “help us restore full service on Line 1 faster.”

“This demonstrates the value of having Metrolinx as a partner to improve transit for Ottawa residents,” he said.

Last week, staff at the transit committee gave an update on the issue plaguing the system, saying that they believe the line “may be” fully restored by the end of May. Months ago, the city’s transit agency was forced to pull dozens of vehicles from the LRT after crews discovered problems with the cartridge bearing assemblies on the trains. It means all trains with mileage higher than 100,000 kilometres were pulled from its fleet, forcing the system to run without 70 per cent of its vehicles.

The problem is when flakes of metal break off inside the axles, creating pits that grow over time. This is a separate issue from the axle bearing assembly problem.

With Metrolinx sending the new axles, it has reignited conversations that the provincial body would upload the LRT under its jurisdiction.

“The upload of Ottawa’s LRT to the provincial government and Metrolinx will increase that collaboration and lead to a more reliable service,” Ottawa’s mayor said in the statement.

The idea stemmed from a campaign announcement Doug Ford made last year during the snap election.

In a stop in the nation’s capital, Ford promised that if his party were re-elected, the LRT would be part of the province’s portfolio.

“Uploading Ottawa’s LRT to the province is the latest step we’re taking to save taxpayers money and improve local services as we treat Ottawa fairly,” Ford said at the announcement.

If this were to happen, it would bring Ottawa in line with cities like Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton and Brampton.