How Ottawa LRT service has changed in 5 years

On this fifth anniversary of LRT, CTVNewsOttawa.ca compares the system we were promised to the system we have.

Saturday marks five years since the launch of the Confederation Line LRT in Ottawa.

The much-anticipated transit system was launched with fanfare and events on Sept. 14, 2019, but within weeks, issues with the system began cropping up, causing delays for riders and negatively affecting confidence in the city's transit system.

Numerous adaptations and changes have been made to service and to the trains and the tracks themselves in the years since the line launched in order to improve safety and reliability.

On this fifth anniversary of LRT, CTVNewsOttawa.ca compares the system we were promised to the system we have.

When the LRT launched, OC Transpo said trains would be coming every five minutes or less during peak periods, though the anticipated service times during peak hours was to be every 3 minutes and 20 seconds.

Initially, 15 double-car trains were supposed to run during peak hours, but before the line officially launched, that number was reduced to 13. OC Transpo did have some days with three-minute service in 2020 when 15 trains were launched.

Service frequency was described as every eight minutes from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, followed by every five minutes or less during peak hours, every five minutes during off-peak hours on weekdays, and every eight to 15 minutes after 11 p.m.