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The Réseau express métropolitain (REM; ) is a
light metro A medium-capacity system (MCS), also known as light rapid transit or light metro, is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail, but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit. MCS trains are usually 1 to 4 cars. Most medi ...
rapid transit system in
Greater Montreal Greater Montreal (, ) is the most populous metropolitan area in Quebec and the second most populous in Canada after Greater Toronto. In 2015, Statistics Canada identified Montreal's Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) as with a population of 4,02 ...
, Quebec, Canada. As of June 2025, it consists of five stations spanning 16 km, connecting
Downtown Montreal Downtown Montreal (French language, French: ''Centre-Ville de Montréal'') is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The district is situated on the southernmost slope of Mount Royal, and occupies the western portion of the ...
with the suburb of
Brossard Brossard ( , , ) is a municipality in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada and is part of the Greater Montreal, Greater Montreal area. According to the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, Brossard's population was 91,525. It shares powers with ...
. Extensions to the
West Island The West Island (, ) is the unofficial name given to the city, towns and boroughs at the western end of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. It is generally considered to consist of the Lakeshore municipalities of Lachine (specific ...
and the northwestern Montreal suburbs will open in October 2025 and a further extension to the
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Montréal–Trudeau International Airport () or Montréal–Trudeau, formerly known and still commonly referred to as Montréal–Dorval International Airport (''Aéroport international Montréal-Dorval''), is an international airport in Dor ...
will open in 2027. A portion of the route was taken over from the
Exo commuter rail Exo commuter rail (reporting marks EXO) is a system of five Radial route, radial commuter rail services serving the Greater Montreal area, operated by Alstom, using trackage owned by Exo (public transit), Exo as well as by the Canadian National ...
Deux-Montagnes line Deux-Montagnes (also designated exo6 and formerly Red Line) was an electrified Commuter rail in North America, commuter rail line in Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was owned by Exo (public transit), Exo, the organization that operates publ ...
and has been converted to light metro standards. The light metro rail system is projected to cost . It is independent of, but connects to and hence complements, the existing
Montreal Metro The Montreal Metro (, ) is a rubber-tired underground rapid transit system serving Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), was inaugurated on October 14, 1966, during the tenure ...
, operated by the STM. Trains on the network are fully automated and driverless, and the stations are completely enclosed and climate controlled, featuring
platform screen doors Platform screen doors (PSDs), also known as platform edge doors (PEDs), are used at some train, rapid transit and people mover stations to separate the platform from train tracks, as well as on some bus rapid transit, tram and light rail ...
. The line has been built by CDPQ Infra, a subsidiary of the
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (, CDPQ; ) is an institutional investor that manages several public and parapublic pension plans and insurance programs in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was established in 1965 by an act of the ...
, an institutional investor that manages various public and para-public pension plans and insurance programs in Quebec. The first section of the REM opened on 31 July 2023.


History


Background

The Réseau express métropolitain has its origin in various railway projects, realized or not, which have succeeded each other in Montreal since the beginning of the 20th century.


Mount Royal Tunnel and Deux-Montagnes line

In 1918, the
Canadian Northern Railway The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) was a historic Canada, Canadian transcontinental railway. At its 1923 merger into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonto ...
(CNoR) completed construction of a tunnel under Mount Royal to allow its trains arriving from the north to reach downtown Montreal. Since ventilation in the tunnel was insufficient to use steam locomotives, the line through the tunnel was electrified from its opening. In the 1990s, the Agence Métropolitaine De Transport (AMT) took over operation of the
Deux-Montagnes line Deux-Montagnes (also designated exo6 and formerly Red Line) was an electrified Commuter rail in North America, commuter rail line in Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was owned by Exo (public transit), Exo, the organization that operates publ ...
from
Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue an ...
, renovating it between 1993 and 1995 – with trains running through the tunnel to reach downtown Montreal. When the
Montreal Metro The Montreal Metro (, ) is a rubber-tired underground rapid transit system serving Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), was inaugurated on October 14, 1966, during the tenure ...
was developed in the 1960s, initial plans involved the Red Line that would use the
Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...
(CN) tracks passing under Mount Royal to reach the northwest suburb of Cartierville from downtown Montreal. When Montreal was chosen to host
Expo 67 The 1967 International and Universal Exposition, commonly known as Expo 67, was a general exhibition from April 28 to October 29, 1967. It was a category one world's fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is considered to be one of the most s ...
in 1962, the Red Line was dropped – with the Yellow Line (Line 4) linking
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
to the South Shore suburbs being built instead. The Red Line was still planned for construction as a "regional metro" line in the early 1980s.


Train de l'Ouest

Vaudreuil–Hudson – a
commuter rail Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
line serving the west of Montreal – shares its tracks with freight trains, thereby limiting the quantity and frequency of trains that can be run. From the 2000s onwards, municipalities in the west of the island pushed for improved commuter train service. The AMT proposed upgrades and improvements to the Vaudreuil–Hudson line, with the Aéroports de Montréal proposing an automated light metro (similar to the
Canada Line The Canada Line is a rapid transit line in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that is part of the SkyTrain (Vancouver), SkyTrain system. The line is owned by TransLink (British Columbia), TransLink and InTransitBC and is operated by SN ...
in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
) to serve the airport and the surrounding area.


South Shore

From the 1970s onwards, proposals for improved public transport to connect the South Shore with downtown Montreal were made, often proposing the use of the Champlain Bridge, which opened in 1962. In the 1990s and 2000s, proposals were made for a
light rail Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...
line that would use the Champlain Bridge ice control structure to cross the
St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawren ...
. In 2011, the Canadian government announced that a new bridge would be built to replace the existing Champlain Bridge, with two lanes reserved for public transit. In 2013, the Quebec government announced that it was proposing a new light rail line to cross the bridge. The new Champlain Bridge opened in 2019, with space reserved for a future rail corridor.


History

On 13 January 2015,
Quebec premier The premier of Quebec ( (masculine) or eminine is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of the Coalition Avenir Québec, sworn in on October 18, 2018, following that ...
Philippe Couillard and Michael Sabia, CEO of the
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (, CDPQ; ) is an institutional investor that manages several public and parapublic pension plans and insurance programs in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was established in 1965 by an act of the ...
(CDPQ), announced that the
Crown corporation Crown corporation () is the term used in Canada for organizations that are structured like private companies, but are directly and wholly owned by the government. Crown corporations have a long-standing presence in the country, and have a sign ...
would define, build and finance major transportation projects in the province, with planned to be spent on infrastructure from 2014 to 2024. Two of these projects were the South Shore Line and the Train de l'Ouest toward the
West Island The West Island (, ) is the unofficial name given to the city, towns and boroughs at the western end of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. It is generally considered to consist of the Lakeshore municipalities of Lachine (specific ...
, which eventually merged to become the core of the REM project. On 22 April 2016, Sabia and Montreal mayor Denis Coderre unveiled the project, then known as the ''Réseau électrique métropolitain'', to the media. The estimated completion date for the first portion of the system was December 2020. On 22 June 2016, CDPQ Infra published two requests for qualification: one for the engineering, procurement, and construction contract and the other for the rolling stock, systems, operation, and maintenance. The estimated values of the two contracts were $4billion and $1.5billion, respectively. On 25 November 2016, CDPQ Infra announced the addition of three new stations to the project. These new stations—, , and —would improve downtown Montreal service by integrating the REM with the Metro system through connections to the Orange,
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
and Blue Lines. Included with news of the three new stations was an increased price tag of $5.9billion for the entire project. On 15 June 2017, the Government of Canada pledged $1.28billion to finance the project, completing the financing of the project. Construction on the project was announced as starting at the end of 2017.


Procurement

On 28 June 2016, CDPQ Infra launched two public tenders in parallel: one for "Engineering, Procurement and Construction" (EPC, or "''Ingénierie, Approvisionnement et Construction des infrastructures''" (IAC) in French), and a second, for "Rolling Stock, Systems and Operation and Maintenance Services" (RSSOM, or "''Fourniture du Matériel Roulant, de Systèmes de conduite automatique et de Services d'Exploitation et de Maintenance''" (MRSEM) in French). The estimated values of the two contracts were $4billion and $1.5billion, respectively. Following a prequalification phase, the Caisse's subsidiary announced, on 10 November 2016, the qualified candidates that would be allowed to submit a bid: * For the EPC contract, the competitors were: ** (1) the Groupe NouvLR consortium, composed of SNC-Lavalin Grands Projets, Dragados, Aecon, Pomerleau, EPC, and
AECOM AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation; stylised A''Ξ''COM) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company's official name from 1990–2015 was AECOM Technology Corporation, ...
** (2) the Kiewit-Eurovia consortium, formed by
Kiewit Corporation Kiewit Corporation is an American construction company based in Omaha, Nebraska founded in 1884. In 2021, it was ranked 243rd on the Fortune 500. Privately held, it is one of the largest construction and engineering organizations in North America ...
, Eurovia,
WSP Global WSP Global Inc. is a Canadian consulting firm working mostly in the built environment. It was created in 2012, following Montreal-based Genivar's takeover of British firm WSP Group plc. It is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. After the pu ...
, and Parsons Corporation; * For the RSSOM contract, three companies and consortia were in competition: ** (1)
Bombardier Transportation Bombardier Transportation was a Canadian rolling stock and rail transport manufacturer, with headquarters in Toronto and Berlin. It was one of the world's largest companies in the rail vehicle and equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. ...
alone ** (2) Alliance Montréal Mobilité, composed of
Parsons Corporation Parsons Corporation is an American multinational technology-focused defense, intelligence, and infrastructure engineering firm. Founded in 1944, Parsons is headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, and serves both government and private sector orga ...
,
Hyundai Rotem Hyundai Rotem Company, often referred to as Hyundai Rotem (), is a South Korean manufacturer of railway rolling stock, railway signalling, defense products and plant equipment. It is a member of Hyundai Motor Group and has presence in more than ...
, RATP Dev, and Thales Canada ** (3) the Groupe des Partenaires pour la Mobilité des Montréalais, composed of
Alstom Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional ...
and SNC-Lavalin O&M
Ansaldo STS Hitachi Rail STS SpA (from ''Hitachi Rail Signalling and Transportation Systems'') or Hitachi Rail STS (previously Ansaldo STS) is an Italian transportation company owned by Hitachi with a global presence in the field of railway signalling and in ...
-
Hitachi () is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1910 and headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company is active in various industries, including digital systems, power and renewable ener ...
and China Railway International were not allowed to bid. According to '' La Presse'', final bids were submitted to CDPQ Infra on 27 October 2017. On 10 November 2017, the date of the planned announcement of the selected contractors, the procurement process was "postponed indefinitely" to provide more time for analysis and evaluation of the bids received. On 8 February 2018, CDPQ Infra finally announced its selection: the Groupe NouvLR consortium for the EPC contract (SNC-Lavalin Grands Projets, Dragados, Aecon, Pomerleau, EBC, and AECOM) and the Groupe des Partenaires pour la Mobilité des Montréalais for the RSSOM contract (Alstom and SNC-Lavalin O&M). As part of RSSOM contract, Alstom would deliver 212
Alstom Metropolis The Alstom Metropolis is a family of electric multiple units designed and produced by the French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom. It is designed for high capacity rapid transit or metro rail infrastructure systems. Trains can be run in various ...
cars, forming 106 two-car trains. The contracts' total value was estimated to be around $6.3billion, of which approximately 80% was for the EPC contract.


Construction

Preparatory work began in late March 2018. On 12 April 2018, the project officially broke ground. In December 2019, CDPQ revised the capital cost of the project to $6.5billion, an increase of $230million. In October 2020, the
tunnel boring machine A tunnel boring machine (TBM), also known as a "mole" or a "worm", is a machine used to excavate tunnels. TBMs are an alternative to drilling and blasting methods and "hand mining", allowing more rapid excavation through hard rock, wet or dry so ...
"Alice" (named after Canadian geologist Alice Wilson) started the tunnelling process to
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Montréal–Trudeau International Airport () or Montréal–Trudeau, formerly known and still commonly referred to as Montréal–Dorval International Airport (''Aéroport international Montréal-Dorval''), is an international airport in Dor ...
. In October 2020, the first completed train arrived in Montreal from India, where it had been manufactured. In November 2020, a disruption from an "unexpected" explosion during the renovation of the Mount Royal Tunnel, likely caused by leftover century-old explosives, delayed the opening of the central section of the REM from 2022 to 2023. In June 2021, CDPQ updated the project cost to $6.9billion, an increase of $350million, citing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic in Montreal. In June 2022, CDPQ Infra acknowledged that construction issues with the Mount Royal Tunnel, labour shortages, and material supply issues would postpone the opening of most REM stations to 2024. The delay had also resulted in higher costs for the project overall, exceeding the previously projected budget of $6.9billion. No new estimate of the project cost was provided. In November 2024, CDPQ announced that major construction work on the central section of the line had been completed, with testing to follow in 2025. An updated opening date of the fourth quarter of 2025 was announced. CDPQ also stated that the project cost had increased to – noting that they shouldered responsibility for cost overruns. Construction on the branch to Montréal–Trudeau International Airport continued, with an estimated opening date of the first quarter of 2027.


Operational history

The first five stations on the network, between Central Station and Brossard, opened for full service on 31 July 2023. An opening ceremony was held on 28 July 2023, with Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau (born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025. He led the Liberal Party from 2013 until his resignation in 2025 and was the member of Parliament ...
, Premier of Quebec
François Legault François Legault (; born May 26, 1957) is a Canadian politician serving as the 32nd premier of Quebec since 2018. A founding member of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), he has led the party since it began in 2011. Legault sits as a Nationa ...
, Mayor of Montreal
Valérie Plante Valérie Plante (; born 14 June 1974) is a Canadian politician serving as the 45th and current mayor of Montreal since 2017. First elected to Montreal City Council in the 2013 election, she served as leader of the Projet Montréal party sin ...
, president and CEO of CDPQ Charlies Emond, and president and CEO of CDPQ Infra Jean-Marc Arbaud inaugurating the line. On the weekend of 29 and 30 July 2023, free service was available to the public. On the first day of public access, over 20,000 people rode the REM in the morning, prompting staff to turn away new riders. Within the first three days of revenue operation, the new line suffered a number of service disruptions caused by stuck railway switches and computer issues. A spokesperson remarked that "there's always some adjustments to be made" with a new system on the scale of the REM. the system had carried more than 1million passengers, with daily ridership of more than 30,000 for the month following its opening. In April 2024, CDPQ announced that weekday ridership had increased again, with "up to 36,000 daily riders". In September 2024, average weekday ridership had risen to 37,000 daily passengers, with Tuesdays being the busiest day (42,000 passengers). During an interview with Radio-Canada in February 2025, president and chief executive officer of CDPQ Infra Jean-Marc Arbaud stated ridership had increased to 45,000 on its busiest day. In the third quarter of 2025, the REM is scheduled to be shut down for a period of four to six weeks to enable testing of the central section of the line, which is scheduled to open by October 2025.


Future sections

Further sections of the line are planned to open in stages, with eighteen stations planned to open in October 2025. Testing on the north and west branches of the line began in mid-2024. A further extension to
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Montréal–Trudeau International Airport () or Montréal–Trudeau, formerly known and still commonly referred to as Montréal–Dorval International Airport (''Aéroport international Montréal-Dorval''), is an international airport in Dor ...
is planned to open in 2027. In August 2024, ''La Presse'' reported that CDPQ Infra refused to confirm that Griffintown–Bernard-Landry station would be completed by 2027, but that construction could take place while the REM is in operation.


Route

The primary route follows the Mount Royal Tunnel, where new underground stations have been built to connect with the existing McGill and Édouard-Montpetit Metro stations. A new connection to the
Mascouche Mascouche (; ) is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southern Quebec, Canada. The city is located on the Mascouche River within the Les Moulins Regional County Municipality and has a population of 51,183, ranking 20th among Quebec municipali ...
commuter rail line was built near the A-40 at the Côte-de-Liesse station to allow this line, which previously used the tunnel, to have access to downtown. Southeast from
Central Station Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
, the line follows existing rail lines until Marc-Cantin Street, where it transitions to an elevated guideway and crosses to Nuns' Island, and then uses a rail deck constructed on the new Champlain Bridge to cross the
St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawren ...
. Three stations in
Brossard Brossard ( , , ) is a municipality in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada and is part of the Greater Montreal, Greater Montreal area. According to the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, Brossard's population was 91,525. It shares powers with ...
on the South Shore have been built: Panama, connecting to the existing bus terminal; Du Quartier, directly connected to the DIX30 commercial district; and
Brossard Brossard ( , , ) is a municipality in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada and is part of the Greater Montreal, Greater Montreal area. According to the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, Brossard's population was 91,525. It shares powers with ...
, the site of a bus terminal built along with the station, along with the line's maintenance depot. The northwest branch is a conversion of the
Deux-Montagnes line Deux-Montagnes (also designated exo6 and formerly Red Line) was an electrified Commuter rail in North America, commuter rail line in Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was owned by Exo (public transit), Exo, the organization that operates publ ...
, with a second track added beyond Bois-Franc station and all at-grade crossings eliminated. On the West Island, a new airport branch will separate from the main line near the A-13, with a stop at
Technoparc Montreal Technoparc Montréal is a hightech industrial park in Montréal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by popu ...
, before terminating at
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Montréal–Trudeau International Airport () or Montréal–Trudeau, formerly known and still commonly referred to as Montréal–Dorval International Airport (''Aéroport international Montréal-Dorval''), is an international airport in Dor ...
. The main West Island branch follows an existing freight rail spur through
Pointe-Claire Pointe-Claire (, ) is a Quebec local municipality within the Urban agglomeration of Montreal on the Island of Montreal in Canada. It is entirely developed, and land use includes residential, light manufacturing, and retail. As of the 2021 cen ...
, then crosses and follows the A-40 just east of St-Jean Boulevard and continues through Kirkland before ending in
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue () is an Greater Montreal, on-island suburb located at the western tip of the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is the second oldest community in Montreal's West Island, having been founded as a parish ...
. These lines are mostly elevated to avoid at-grade crossings. In the city centre, Central Station connects with the Orange Line at , McGill with the Green Line and Édouard-Montpetit with the Blue Line.


Stations

The REM will consist of 26 stations on three branches. Twelve of these stations are on the former suburban
Deux-Montagnes line Deux-Montagnes (also designated exo6 and formerly Red Line) was an electrified Commuter rail in North America, commuter rail line in Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was owned by Exo (public transit), Exo, the organization that operates publ ...
and became part of the REM after being converted to
rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...
standards. Several have received new names since the project's inception. All stations on the REM will be accessible, and Metro interchange stations at McGill and Édouard-Montpetit have been retrofitted for accessibility.


Main line

All stations on the main line of the Réseau express métropolitain are projected to have a train frequency of 2.5 minutes during rush hour and 5 minutes at other times, both toward Brossard station and toward the three different branches.


Deux-Montagnes branch

Trains on the Deux-Montagnes branch are projected to run every five minutes during rush hour and every fifteen minutes at other times.


Anse-à-l'Orme branch

Trains on the Anse-à-l'Orme (formerly Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue) branch of the Réseau express métropolitain are projected to run every ten minutes during rush hour and every fifteen minutes at other times.


YUL–Montréal–Trudeau Airport branch

Trains on the Airport branch of the Réseau express métropolitain are projected to run every ten minutes during rush hour and every fifteen minutes at other times.


Rolling stock

The Alstom Metropolis Saint-Laurent is a type of
light metro A medium-capacity system (MCS), also known as light rapid transit or light metro, is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail, but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit. MCS trains are usually 1 to 4 cars. Most medi ...
train built by
Alstom Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional ...
for the Réseau express métropolitain, using the
Alstom Metropolis The Alstom Metropolis is a family of electric multiple units designed and produced by the French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom. It is designed for high capacity rapid transit or metro rail infrastructure systems. Trains can be run in various ...
platform. Trains run as a single two-car train at quieter times and as paired four-car trainsets during rush hour. The trains are fully automated ( GoA4), with no driver or attendant on board. In April 2018, a $2.8-billion contract was awarded to Alstom and SNC-Lavalin to deliver a driverless light metro, including rolling stock and automatic signalling, and to operate and maintain the line. This contract included 212 Alstom Metropolis cars, forming 106 two-car trains. Built at Alstom's Sri City plant in India, the trains were delivered to Montreal by ship. Each two-car train seats 64 passengers, with standing capacity for around 300. A four-car trainset can carry a maximum of 780 people at rush hour. The livery is white, grey, and bright green, matching the REM logo. The trains have large front windows, allowing passengers to take in views from the front of the train. A dedicated space for wheelchair users is available, and the trains feature Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and heated floors. CDPQ Infra indicated it is "confident that the trains... will be able to withstand... winter conditions", with the trains featuring double glazing, ice-scraping pantographs, and heated automatic couplings. The front lights of the trains are inspired by the Champlain Bridge. Compared to the Azur trains used on the
Montreal Metro The Montreal Metro (, ) is a rubber-tired underground rapid transit system serving Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), was inaugurated on October 14, 1966, during the tenure ...
, the REM trains use steel wheels rather than rubber tires, are 17% wider, are faster (with a top speed of on the Champlain Bridge), and are fully automated. However, the REM trains are shorter and can carry fewer passengers per trainset, although the REM has the ability to increase capacity to meet demand. The REM trains are also exposed to the weather, unlike the fully underground metro system.


Artwork

Across the REM, 12 pieces of permanent artwork will be installed at a cost of $7.3 million, as part of Quebec's
percent for art The term percent for art refers to a program, often a city ordinance, where a fee, usually some percentage of the project cost, is placed on large scale development projects in order to fund and install public art. The details of such programs va ...
programme. An additional $500,000 will fund temporary artworks, created by students of four Montreal universities ( Concordia, McGill,
Université de Montréal The Université de Montréal (; UdeM; ) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce on M ...
and
Université du Québec à Montréal The (UQAM; ), is a French language, French-language public university, public research university based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the largest constituent element of the system. UQAM was founded on April 9, 1969, by the government o ...
). The first works were unveiled in October 2024 at
Brossard Brossard ( , , ) is a municipality in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada and is part of the Greater Montreal, Greater Montreal area. According to the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, Brossard's population was 91,525. It shares powers with ...
and
Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
stations.


Controversies

In a report prepared by the (BAPE), released on 20 January 2017, CDPQ Infra was criticized for failing to provide crucial information on the project's financial model, environmental impact, and impact on ridership levels on existing public transit systems across Greater Montreal. Without such information, the BAPE declared that it was "premature to authorize the approval of this project". The BAPE also stated that CDPQ Infra had not met its obligations with regard to transparency, as it had failed to provide information in a timely fashion on the ridership levels of the REM's three branches. CDPQ Infra was also reproached for not studying the impact of the REM on existing public transit authorities. CDPQ Infra was criticized for not being able to answer questions like how much tickets would cost, whether municipalities served by the REM would have to pay for the necessary infrastructure for access to it, and whether municipalities would have to contribute to the REM's operation. A lawsuit filed by Coalition Climat further alleged that the REM project violated
federalism Federalism is a mode of government that combines a general level of government (a central or federal government) with a regional level of sub-unit governments (e.g., provinces, State (sub-national), states, Canton (administrative division), ca ...
for a lack of federal assessment of the potential harm to citizens' environmental rights by its potential contribution to
noise pollution Noise pollution, or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise or sound with potential harmful effects on humans and animals. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mainly caused by machines, transport and propagation systems.Senate Publi ...
and
urban heat island Urban areas usually experience the urban heat island (UHI) effect; that is, they are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent when winds ar ...
s. The lawsuit was dismissed by the
Quebec Superior Court The Superior Court of Quebec () is a superior trial court in the Province of Quebec, in Canada. It consists of 157 judges who are appointed by the federal government. Appeals from this court are taken to the Quebec Court of Appeal. Jurisdictio ...
on 13 December 2017. Another controversy occurred in November 2019, when Montreal mayor Valerie Plante proposed naming Griffintown's REM station after former Quebec premier
Bernard Landry Bernard Landry (; March 9, 1937 – November 6, 2018) was a Canadian politician who served as the 28th premier of Quebec from 2001 to 2003. A member of the Parti Québécois (PQ), he led the party from 2001 to 2005, also serving as the leader ...
, who was part of the Parti Québécois. This sparked a backlash from the city's Irish community. As a compromise, the station was named , which still proved controversial. Local politicians and transit advocates also noted their annoyance that the station was not opened with the other REM stations in August 2023, and that a construction staging yard was preventing the construction of a park in the neighbourhood.


Financial model

As agreed in 2018, the financial model underpinning the project requires the
Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM; ) is a transportation authority that plans, finances and integrates public transport in Greater Montreal in Quebec, Canada. The organization was created by the Government of Quebec on Ju ...
(ARTM) to pay CDPQ Infra $0.72 for each kilometre traveled by a passenger following the project's opening. This amount will increase with inflation. CDPQ expects a
rate of return In finance, return is a profit on an investment. It comprises any change in value of the investment, and/or cash flows (or securities, or other investments) which the investor receives from that investment over a specified time period, such as i ...
of around 8 or 9 percent over the 99-year period. Although fare revenues will not fund other transit projects or agencies (such as the
Société de transport de Montréal The Société de transport de Montréal (, STM; ) is a public transport agency that operates transit bus and rapid transit services in the urban agglomeration of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Established in 1861 as the "Montreal City Passenger Railwa ...
), CDPQ argued that the REM will provide long-term income for pensions, stating, "when a user takes the REM, they are helping to finance their future retirement". CDPQ also argued that the project risk lies with itself and not the provincial government or municipalities. The project's $6.5-billion construction cost is financed through funding from CDPQ ($3.2 billion), the
Government of Quebec The Government of Quebec (, ) is the body responsible for the administration of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. The term is typically used to refer to the executive of the day (i.e. Minister of the Crown, mini ...
($1.283 billion), the
Government of Canada The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes Minister of t ...
($1.283 billion), and
Hydro-Québec Hydro-Québec () is a Canadian Crown corporations of Canada#Quebec, Crown corporation public utility headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. It manages the electricity generation, generation, electric power transmission, transmission and electricity ...
($295 million).


Proposed lines, stations, and extensions

On 20 May 2019, the Quebec government announced that it had requested CDPQ Infra to study two REM extensions. One route would extend nearly north to Carrefour Laval and the other nearly south to Chambly and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu. The government also made a request to determine the best electrified transit system to be put in place for the East Island, with the possibility of it being a new REM project. The proposal became the REM de l'Est project.


Dorval station

The federal government had requested that the Canada Infrastructure Bank study a possible extension of the REM to Dorval Exo railway station and Dorval Via Rail station to connect with Exo and
Via Rail Via Rail Canada Inc. (), operating as Via Rail or Via (stylized as VIA Rail), is a Canadian Crown corporation that operates intercity passenger rail service in Canada. As of December 2023, Via Rail operates 406 trains per week across eight ...
trains. This station would have been about a extension from the Airport station. The STM
bus station A bus station, bus depot, or bus interchange is a structure where city buses or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. A bus station is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can st ...
is located south of the CP and CN tracks and west of the Via Rail station.


Bridge–Bonaventure station

The city of Montreal requested two stations instead of one at Bassin Peel. The second station would be added between and stations. In August 2024, CDPQ Infra noted that the station was technically feasible.


REM de l'Est

The REM de l'Est was a proposed second REM line that would have been long and included 23 stations. Announced in 2020, it would have used the same technology as the REM but would not be connected directly to the first section of the network. Beginning a few blocks east of Robert-Bourassa Boulevard (and therefore from Central Station), the line would have run east on an elevated guideway along René-Lévesque Boulevard and Notre-Dame Street until St-Clément Street, where it would have turned north and split into two branches: * One running elevated along
Sherbrooke Street Sherbrooke Street (officially in ) is a major east–west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal, Canada. The street begins in the town of Montreal West, Quebec, Montreal West and ends on the extreme ...
to
Pointe-aux-Trembles Pointe-aux-Trembles () was a municipality, founded in 1674, that was annexed by Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1982. This was the last city to be merged into Montreal until the 2002 municipal reorganization. On January 1, 2002 this neighbourhood ...
* One diving into a tunnel and running north to Cégep Marie-Victorin via Lacordaire In May 2022, the project was abandoned, and as of mid-2023, nothing has been announced about its eventual replacement, which is under study, except that it is to be named Projet structurant de l’Est (PSE) instead of REM.


South Shore "REM 2.0" along Taschereau Boulevard axis

In partnership with the City of Longueuil and the Municipality of Brossard, the Quebec government announced a proposed extension of the REM through the South Shore of Montreal. This branch was originally referred to as REM 2.0, but was also commonly called the Taschereau REM, and was planned to connect the existing REM line at
Terminus Panama Panama station is a Réseau express métropolitain (REM) station in the city of Brossard, Quebec, Brossard, Quebec, Canada. It is operated by CDPQ Infra and serves as a station on the South Shore branch of the REM. The station opened on 31 July ...
to the Montreal metro at
Terminus Longueuil Terminus Longueuil is an ARTM bus terminus, part of the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke Metro complex, in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from Montreal. The bus terminus has 41 numbered pl ...
. REM 2.0 would follow Taschereau Boulevard for much of its length, superseding earlier proposals for an electric tramway, the East–West Electric Line (Lien électrique est–ouest, or LÉEO), to connect these transit hubs. The government of Quebec suggested that this REM line could ultimately continue in either direction to the municipalities of Châteauguay and
Boucherville Boucherville () is a city in the Montérégie region in Quebec, Canada. It is a suburb of Montreal on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River. Boucherville is part of both the urban agglomeration of Longueuil and the Montreal Metropolitan ...
respectively. Longueuil mayor Catherine Fournier was present at the REM's inauguration and first rides. During the ride, Fournier made clarifying remarks about REM 2.0, confirming the future of the project. Fournier added that the segments of REM 2.0 along Taschereau Boulevard would be elevated, while the portions along the
Quebec Route 132 Route 132 is the longest highway in Quebec. It follows the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River from the border with the state of New York (state), New York in the hamlet of Dundee, Quebec, Dundee (connecting with New York State Route 3 ...
would be at ground level to service Old Longueuil and beyond. Following the REM's inauguration, Fournier held an interview with '' La Presse'' where she indicated that she had taken part in continued conversation with Quebec's Minister of Transport,
Geneviève Guilbault Geneviève Guilbault (; born November 4, 1982) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the National Assembly of Quebec in a by-election held in the electoral district Louis-Hébert on October 2, 2017. She is a member of the Coalition Ave ...
, who reiterated the province's interest in the project and stated that the extension was under study. CDPQ Infra responded to the interview, confirming that the project was still planned, with ongoing discussions involving the provincial authorities. Following this interview, in late 2023, Mayor of Brossard Doreen Assaad announced a plan to construct a new, pedestrianized downtown for
Brossard Brossard ( , , ) is a municipality in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada and is part of the Greater Montreal, Greater Montreal area. According to the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, Brossard's population was 91,525. It shares powers with ...
, centred on Panama station, to be completed by 2040. The announcement indicated that Brossard would aim to implement a double-track, street-level electric
tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
along Taschereau Boulevard. In follow-up interviews, Brossard's city administration opposed the construction of an elevated REM extension along the Taschereau corridor, indicating that it was not compatible with its vision for Brossard's new downtown. Assaad then elaborated on this statement in a press release about road safety on Taschereau Boulevard, stating that the citizens and mayor's office did not see a return on investment for an elevated REM along Taschereau but would defer to the
Government of Quebec The Government of Quebec (, ) is the body responsible for the administration of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. The term is typically used to refer to the executive of the day (i.e. Minister of the Crown, mini ...
as Taschereau Boulevard is a
Quebec Route Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...
and under provincial jurisdiction. The mayor indicated that the city was designing its future downtown with a lighter mode of public transit to test the feasibility of the REM model and sought to keep the municipality's voice in the conversation. In an early 2024 press release, CDPQ Infra said that it would be releasing the results of its analysis of the Taschereau REM branch, as well as holding meetings with municipal officials and other relevant parties to inform them of the direction of its upcoming public transit projects. In response to this announcement, Fournier commented that she was supportive of the Taschereau REM project but that Longueuil had not received an update from CDPQ Infra for over a year and a half. On January 29, 2024, CDPQ Infra announced that it was withdrawing from the proposed extension, leaving local mayors to coordinate any future development of Taschereau Boulevard with the soon-to-be-created provincial government agency for large public transit projects.


See also

* * Urban rail transit in Canada


References


External links

*
Presentation of the project on the CDPQ Infra website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reseau express metropolitain Exo (public transit) Railway lines opened in 2023 Airport rail links in Canada Electric railways in Canada Standard-gauge railways in Canada 1500 V DC railway electrification 2023 establishments in Quebec