O-Train

Long-stop date coming soon: This is from Global News. Posted on 15 May 2019  (Other outlets have also reported the same thing) The entire article can be found here: https://globalnews.ca/news/5279022/independent-certifier-says-lrt-isnt-substantially-complete-city-of-ottawa-memo/ "Project’s ‘long-stop’ date falls next week News of the independent certifier’s decision comes a week and a half before the project’s “long-stop” date, which — according to the project agreement — falls “365 days after the required revenue service availability date” (or the original handover date). The train was first scheduled to be delivered to the City of Ottawa on May 24, 2018, a deadline that was pushed to Nov. 2 and delayed once again to March 31, 2019. The consortium missed the March target date as well. If RTG doesn’t achieve revenue service availability by the “long-stop” date, the consortium will be in default of the project agreement and the city will have the right to terminate it, according to the document. There was no word of an LRT launch date during Friday’s update. Manconi said that RTG continues to tell the city it will deliver the train by the end of June. RTG has several hurdles left to pass before it hands over the LRT, including a trial run, during which the train has to simulate “flawless” service for 12 straight days." I don't think the city will terminate the contract, but  

Toronto streetcar uses Bombardier Flexity OUTLOOK wich is the Tram variant of the Flexity FREEDOM. I don't understand why people compare Citadis Spirit trains with Bombardier Flexity Freedom trains. Citadis trains are longer with bigger modules, they use 1500V DC (witch is a mainline train power supply) instead of 750V DC and they are faster. If we need to compare Citadis Spirit trains it would be with Edmonton/Calgary Siemens vehicules the only difference being that one is low floor and the others high floor.  Our network is technicaly a ''Light Metro'' system since we use LRT like vehicules, comparable to Rotterdam Metro, Frankfurt U-Bahn or Edmonton LRT

I too prefer Metro over LRT or Light Rail. Technically, as the vehicles on the Confederation Line are typically looked at in the same class as the Bombardier Flexity, which as we know are used as Streetcars in Toronto, one could easily see them as being the same thing in Ottawa. I guess it really boils down to not just the vehicles but the line itself and how it is setup and operated.  In Toronto, the TTC Streetcars are operating right on the busy streets, and contend with every traffic light, intersection, cars and more. It is similar to bus service on city streets, but with a heavier and higher capacity vehicle, that tends to ride much smoother. In Ottawa, the Confederation Line O-Train uses similar type of vehicles in many ways, however it operates on a dedicated and segregated right of way, independent of surface traffic and circulation. It also runs at significantly higher speeds than the TTC Streetcars could ever operate. The stations are massive and handle very high levels of passengers, often to crush levels. In comparing to Montreal's Metro, the vehicles are both narrower than the TTC Subway, but handle extremely high passenger numbers, travel between stations and have dedicated guideways. What I suppose I am trying to say is it doesn't matter the vehicle, and it doesn't matter the name, how it is operated and designed as a system is what it really comes down to. Our system is a high capacity rapid transit cross-city service. To me that's a metro, more so than those light rail lines you see overseas. Plus in comparing Montreal Metro to Toronto Subway, the metro has more style, and better looks, than the boxy stainless steel riveted subway cars.

All these nuances are explained in the Wikipedia article I initially mentioned.