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OC Transpo’s Draft 2019 budget, approved by the city’s transit commission Wednesday, promised a list of service improvements that address many of the concerns about bus reliability, capacity and coverage raised by transit users in recent months.

However, as Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans pointed out, “this budget is built on the assumption – I think fair to say, false assumption – that there’s going to be a handover March 31.”

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Until Ottawa’s new LRT system is up and running, OC Transpo will not implement these budgeted service improvements, which include new routes and connections, extended and more frequent service and shorter travel times.

“Injecting more change right now, especially when we don’t have the reliability that we need from the system … (it) won’t improve things,” said transportation general manager John Manconi.

That being the case, the timing of these improvements remains just as nebulous as the date the first paying passenger will set foot on a light rail train. While the Rideau Transit Group has insisted it will make the March 31 handover deadline, staff and elected officials have predicted that’s not going to happen.