Mes alertes With winter fast approaching, the Martinez Ferrada administration, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) are announcing six measures to strengthen the feeling of safety and cohabitation in the métro. These combine a greater presence in the field, improved social support, increased monitoring and more frequent service.
1) A greater number of special constables
The City will invest $6.4 million per year to progressively add 52 special constables by the end of 2027, bringing the team to 230 members. In the meantime, the SPVM will add 12 police officers to the network this fall. This greater presence will increase the frequency of patrols, ensure consistent coverage of stations identified as critical, as well as reduce response times and contribute to a greater sense of safety among customers and staff.
2) Enhanced monitoring capacity
The Operations Dispatch and Monitoring Centre (CRVO) will be upgraded to increase the number of cameras with real-time monitoring among the network’s existing total of about 2,500 cameras. This enhancement will facilitate the early detection of harmful and disruptive behaviour, as well as improve response times and coordination with the SPVM and emergency services through live visual monitoring. The STM is investing $3 M to improve CRVO.
3) Closer partnership with the SPVM
The STM and SPVM are strengthening their collaboration to better respond to security issues and situations involving vulnerable people. In order to increase their presence in the field, the métro response and coordination team’s (EMIC) resources will be enhanced, increasing the number of brigades from two to six. This will expand coverage, particularly during winter evenings, and increase response capacity across the network.
4) More social workers in the métro
The City of Montreal and the STM have entered into a partnership with St. John Ambulance to ensure the presence of social workers in the métro as early as fall 2026. During winter, two teams consisting of a supervisor, a social worker and a security and liaison officer will travel the network seven days a week to address the needs of vulnerable individuals and improve community harmony. A single team will stay active for the rest of the year.
5) More frequent service by 2027
The City of Montreal plans to increase the metro’s service level by 5% as of the start of the 2027 school year, particularly in the evenings. The enhanced service offer will reduce wait times and provide more predictability for evening users. The implementation of this measure promised by the mayor during her election campaign will be the largest STM service increase since 2017.
6) Appointment of Martin Prud’homme
To strengthen its security efforts, STM has created a new Safety and Organizational Resilience division, helmed by Martin Prud’homme. Boasting over 30 years of experience with the Sûreté du Québec, the SPVM, the Ministère de la Sécurité publique and the City of Montreal, he will be tasked with ramping up efforts to improve security and the sense of safety across the network.
From left to right: Aydin Matlabi, Directeur développement et implantation, Services à la collectivité, Ambulance Saint-Jean, Jim Beis, Maire d'arrondissement, Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Cédric Couture, Directeur adjoint du SPVM, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Mairesse de Montréal, Aref Salem, président du CA de la STM et VP du comité exécutif, Ville de Montréal, Marie-Claude Léonard, DG de la STM, Martin Prud’homme, Directeur principal, Sûreté et résilience organisationnelle, STM, Guy Langlois, chef de la direction, Ambulance Saint-Jean.
Photo credit: Louis-Étienne Doré
Quotes
“Montrealers must feel safe in the métro at all times. As winter approaches, we are increasing our presence in the field, improving support for people in vulnerable situations and giving the STM additional tools to respond quickly. These initiatives are part of the City’s broader approach, which also includes the implementation of warming stations open 24/7 to provide dignified hospitality, support and safety to those in need. We are also announcing an increase in the frequency of the evening métro service as promised during my campaign,” said Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada.
“To continue improving métro ridership, we must continue improving our customers’ sense of safety across the network, and we are taking action to do so. While some of our safety indicators stabilized over the last winter, we take nothing for granted. It’s important to keep striving to provide a safe environment, one that promotes smooth operations while reducing disruptive behaviour on the métro. These new measures are in addition to all the actions and decisions the STM has taken to ensure security and a sense of safety in the network,” said Aref Salem, Chair of the STM Board of Directors.
“Martin Prud’homme’s arrival at the helm of this new division, which will report directly to me, is a testament to our focus on safety. Despite our financial constraints, we are increasing our investments in safety year after year, and we will continue our efforts for as long as necessary to ensure that both customers and employees feel safe ,” said STM CEO Marie-Claude Léonard.
“The safety of métro users is a responsibility we share with our partners. Strengthening our collaboration with the STM and increasing the resources deployed in the network will allow us to respond more effectively, while providing tailored support to those who need it. Our teams will be able to act in an even more coordinated way, both in terms of safety and response for vulnerable customers. This integrated approach will improve the sense of safety and quality of life throughout the network,” said Cédric Couture, Deputy Director and Head of the SPVM’s Community Services Division.