The Ford government has cancelled the Light Rail Transit project for Hamilton.

There was supposed to be a press conference at 2:30pm to announce the decision by Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney, but it was cancelled last second after a large crowd gathered.

Hamilton councillor John-Paul Danko tweeted the news, saying property acquisition has stopped, and 40+ staff have been terminated.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger spoke with reporters outside of the event to express his frustrations, saying it seems Ontario is not open for business.

In a press release, Eisenberger says the government's reasoning is that the project has ended up costing more than double what was originally projected.

However, Eisenberger says the true cost of the project would have been finalized when the request for proposals were delivered in March 2020.

Hamilton is already well into the $1-billion project that runs 14 kilometres from McMaster University to Eastgate Square.

The previous provincial Liberal government promised the money in 2015.