I’d like to recognize my friend and former colleague on Ottawa city council—and newly engaged: Michael Qaqish, from Algonquin College.

Back to the Premier: The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a mess. Sadly, I’ve seen this movie before. Its budget has doubled, using the same P3 consultants that built Ottawa’s struggling LRT. Phil Verster from Metrolinx noted 260 deficiencies in this project at a press conference with the minister this morning but gave the public no details at all. That is not acceptable. The newly built Sloane station had to be ripped apart this week. Metrolinx has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to the P3 consortium building this project already, but the project is falling behind and creating deficiencies. Will the government tell this House and the public what is wrong with the Crosstown LRT, yes or no?

To the member opposite, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Frustrations with respect to the delays on the Eglinton Crosstown are more than understandable, especially by those who live along the line and the businesses that have been impacted.

This contract has been in place for over a decade and our government is very focused on making sure that we get the system open as soon as possible. I would very much like to be able to stand here today and provide a date to give the people of Toronto an idea of when this will open, but unfortunately, Madam Speaker, we are working with a contractor who has to provide us with a credible schedule. It is essential.

My number one priority as Minister of Transportation is to ensure that our transportation network is safe and reliable for everyone to use. Whether it’s a bridge or a road or a transit system, it must be safe. So while I would like to be able to provide a date, I cannot do so until the contractor provides us with a credible and reliable schedule. As soon as they do that, we will provide a date.

As Minister of Transportation, my commitment to the people of Ontario is that we will deliver a system when it is safe and reliable to use. Madam Speaker, it is important that we get this right. We have been transparent with the people of Ontario. We are focused on making sure that the system is safe. More importantly, going forward, we’re learning the lessons from Ottawa, we’re learning the lessons from the Crosstown and we’re moving forward with our priority projects in a way that’s different. Unfortunately, the members opposite voted against that, they voted against—