The Eglinton Crosstown light rail project in midtown Toronto stands as a stark example of how major infrastructure initiatives can spiral out of control, finishing five years behind schedule and $8 billion over budget. What began as a promising transit solution has transformed into what British economist Dan Davies calls an "unaccountability machine" - a system expertly designed to deflect blame and obscure responsibility.
The Anatomy of a Transit Failure
After 15 years of development, the Crosstown line finally approaches completion, but the project has become synonymous with spectacular incompetence. However, this characterization might be somewhat unfair according to some perspectives. The project has demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in one particular area: cutting off information flow to the public.
Despite repeated demands for a public inquiry, citizens and observers remain largely in the dark about what specifically went wrong and who bears responsibility for the extensive delays and massive cost overruns. This information blackout represents a feature of the system rather than an accidental failure.
The Unaccountability Machine in Action
Politicians, bureaucrats, and private-sector contractors involved in the Crosstown project over the past decade and a half may have failed to deliver the streetcar line on time or within budget, but they have successfully constructed what amounts to a near-perfect system for avoiding accountability.
The concept of "unaccountability machines" describes organizations specifically structured to deflect blame through various ingenious methods: fragmenting authority, binding themselves to inflexible policy rules, and offloading key decisions onto regulators or third parties. Once you understand this concept, these systems become visible everywhere - from the U.S. banks that avoided consequences after the 2008 financial crisis to companies manufacturing faulty products and customer service departments that hide behind "company policy."
How Canada's System Enables Failure
Canada's public sector competes effectively on the global stage when it comes to building unaccountability machines. The country's multi-level government system makes it easy for federal, provincial, and municipal authorities to simply point fingers at one another rather than accept responsibility.
The recent fascination with public-private partnerships further complicates accountability, often making it difficult to determine who actually holds decision-making power. The Eglinton Crosstown project exemplifies this problem perfectly.
The project began to derail in 2011 when the province of Ontario decided to remove the Toronto Transit Commission from construction authority, transferring control to Metrolinx, which primarily operated GO Transit bus and rail lines. In retrospect, this decision appears as a glaring error. The TTC had demonstrated capability in building major subway projects and streetcar lines, while Metrolinx had minimal construction experience.
This case study in bureaucratic failure offers crucial lessons for future infrastructure projects across Canada, highlighting the urgent need for transparent governance and clear accountability structures in public works.
