Mes alertes The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) welcomes the provincial government's announcement of multi-year financial assistance for public transit in its recent economic update. This is a significant step toward establishing a predictable financial framework that ensures the continuation of public transit services and allows for operational optimizations. Equally important is securing financial predictability for asset maintenance to guarantee the sustainability and reliability of infrastructure—and, by extension, the services they support.
“This announcement is good news for our customers as, combined with the STM’s efforts and those of other stakeholders, it will help maintain service levels. That being said, it’s important to acknowledge that this situation is far from aligned with the vision outlined in our Strategic Organizational Plan 2030, which aspires to make public transit even more attractive by increasing service levels,” said Marie-Claude Léonard, CEO of the STM. “It’s also critical to understand that this announcement addresses only the operation of our network, not investments in network infrastructure. Securing sufficient funding for asset maintenance, thereby ensuring the sustainability and reliability of our infrastructure, remains the main challenge in maintaining an appealing service for our customers. The aging of our assets is already impacting our ability to deliver services,” added Ms. Léonard.
As the STM has repeatedly emphasized, securing sufficient, viable, and predictable funding for public transit is a significant challenge that requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders. This is why, as early as fall 2023, the STM proactively committed to reducing its recurring expenses by $100 million to limit annual spending growth to under 3%, all while preserving current service levels. Meanwhile, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) has made the bold decision to increase vehicle registration fees starting in 2025, in addition to significantly raising its contributions to the ARTM.
“The announcement of government financial assistance finally solidifies the last pillar needed to sustain public transit services. However, new revenue sources must still be identified to support the expansion of services as outlined in the Quebec government’s sustainable mobility policy. Expanding services will be essential to improving the attractiveness of public transit, meeting employers’ needs, reducing road congestion, and supporting the economic and demographic growth of the metropolitan region,” concluded Éric Alan Caldwell, Chair of the STM’s Board of Directors.
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medias@stm.info