Ottawa transit riders know the feeling all too well: construction wraps up, but the trains still aren't running. Now Mississauga is bracing for its own extended wait, as Metrolinx has confirmed that the Hazel McCallion LRT — formerly known as the Hurontario LRT — is now targeting a 2028 completion date.
What's the Hazel McCallion LRT?
The 18-kilometre, 19-stop light rail route will connect Port Credit along Hurontario Street to Steeles Avenue in Brampton. It was named after Mississauga's legendary former mayor in 2022, and has been under construction for several years. But like many major transit megaprojects across Canada, it has faced delays and revised timelines.
Metrolinx says construction itself must wrap up before testing and commissioning can begin — a process that itself takes considerable time. The 2028 figure accounts for that entire pipeline, not just when the last rail is laid.
Ottawa's LRT Experience Looms Large
For Ottawa residents, this news will hit a little close to home. The city's own Confederation Line — Stage 1 of the O-Train — opened in September 2019, more than a year behind schedule, and was almost immediately plagued by mechanical failures, derailments, and widespread public frustration. A provincial inquiry later found systemic failures in the procurement and oversight process.
Stage 2 of Ottawa's LRT, extending the network to Moodie, Trim, and South Keys, has also faced its share of schedule shifts. Ottawa has become something of a cautionary tale in Canadian transit circles — a reminder that light rail projects are complex, expensive, and rarely go exactly as planned.
Why These Projects Keep Running Long
Transit experts consistently point to a few common culprits behind LRT delays: underground utility conflicts, supply chain issues for specialized rail equipment, and the challenge of coordinating construction along busy urban corridors without shutting everything down. Testing and commissioning — where trains are run repeatedly under controlled conditions to identify safety or performance issues — is also a phase that can't be rushed.
Missauga's project has faced contractor disputes and construction complications that pushed the schedule back from its original target. Sound familiar?
What Ottawa Riders Should Watch
For Ottawans, the Hazel McCallion LRT story is a useful reminder of what good and bad transit oversight looks like at the provincial level. Metrolinx is a Crown agency of Ontario — the same body responsible for GO Transit expansion across the province — and how it manages this project will say a lot about whether lessons from Ottawa and other delayed projects have actually been learned.
Ottawa's own transit future remains an active conversation, with the city still working through the fallout of its Stage 1 problems and managing Stage 2 rollout. Watching how Mississauga navigates its final stretch to opening day might offer some useful lessons — or at least some solidarity.
The Hazel McCallion LRT is expected to carry tens of thousands of daily riders once operational. Here's hoping 2028 actually sticks.
Source: Global News Ottawa (globalnews.ca)
