Montreal’s Metro and bus services may face disruptions for three days each week if maintenance workers at the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) move forward with a planned two-week strike scheduled from September 22 to October 5, as confirmed by the city’s transportation authority. The Quebec labour tribunal has specified that service will be restricted on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to morning and evening rush hours, along with late-night service. Regular schedules will be maintained on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays during this period.
Throughout the strike, the Metro service in the city will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., and from 11 p.m. until closing time, according to information provided on the STM website. Station closures will occur gradually following the departure of the last train at the end of each service block. Bus services are planned to run from 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. All buses commencing trips during these designated time frames will complete their routes to the terminus, while adapted transport services will remain available continuously.
The maintenance workers, who previously staged a strike in June, issued a fresh strike notice on September 5. The Syndicat du transport de Montréal–CSN, representing the workers’ union, announced that members will refrain from working overtime during the strike period. STM’s Chief Executive, Marie-Claude Léonard, assured on Tuesday that the transit authority is committed to minimizing any inconveniences for passengers.
The STM is actively sharing last-train schedules on its website and plans to host a news conference on Thursday to provide further details on essential service arrangements. Negotiations are currently ongoing with four unions for contract renewals, with the largest union representing 4,600 bus drivers and Metro operators having the potential for an unlimited general strike as part of its mandate.
