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The STM just closed three metro station entrances due to security concerns.
Now, Montreal’s public transit agency is extending its ban on loitering in metro stations until April 30, 2027, as part of ongoing efforts to improve safety across the network.
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According to a report by CTV News, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) says the decision is based on data collected over the winter, pointing to the use of stations for non-transit purposes as a factor affecting both riders’ and employees’ sense of security.
The agency also reports improved service reliability, citing fewer disruptions linked to vandalism.
Initially introduced in March 2025 and reinstated in June, the policy was previously credited with helping reduce assaults on staff and improving overall perceptions of safety.
The extension comes as the STM continues to adjust station access.
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In early April 2026, entrances at McGill and Square-Victoria-OACI stations were closed, while an entrance at De Castelnau has remained shut since March 30.
The Square Cabot entrance at Atwater station was also closed during the winter.
The report continues to detail that the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) reported assaults in the metro rose by 15 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, with 726 cases recorded last year versus 631 the year before.
Transit officials have also raised concerns about the growing number of people facing mental health and substance use challenges who are using metro stations as informal shelters.
Over the winter, STM special constables intervened to remove loiterers from stations roughly 2,500 times per month.
The agency says keeping people moving has helped limit disruptive behaviour within the network, even as overall assault figures reached their highest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information about the CTV News report, click here.
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