Dogs may soon be allowed on STM buses in Montreal — Here's what you should know

After being allowed on the metro, dogs in Montreal may soon be hopping on STM buses too. A new motion has been adopted to pave the way for a pilot project testing this initiative starting in 2026.

At a March 18 city council meeting, a motion proposed by opposition party Ensemble Montréal was approved to launch a pilot program that would permit passengers to bring their dogs on Société de transport de Montréal (STM) buses. This decision follows the success of a trial program allowing dogs on the metro, which has been in place since 2022.

But why is it being postponed until 2026?

Part of the reason comes from a new memo released by the STM confirms a sharp rise in disorder, drug use, and safety concerns, painting a troubling picture of Montreal's transit system.

"With the current homelessness crisis, we don’t have the capacity to implement this in the coming months. But by pushing it to late 2026, we believe the situation will have stabilized, allowing us to properly develop a future pilot project," explained Sylvain Ouellet, city councillor and STM board member.

There are also logistical challenges to consider, as "the metro and bus are two very different environments," Ouellet noted. In the metro, passengers who are allergic or uncomfortable can simply switch cars, whereas on a bus, space is more limited. Additionally, metro trains run frequently, giving passengers the option to wait for the next one if necessary, while buses operate on less frequent schedules, offering less flexibility.

To ensure a smooth experience for both humans and pups, rules similar to those in the metro will need to be established. Dogs would only be allowed on buses outside of peak hours, must be leashed and muzzled, and each passenger would be limited to bringing one dog aboard.

Following this announcement, the Montreal SPCA expressed excitement about the decision, celebrating the city's move to join major cities like Calgary, Toronto, Copenhagen, London, Boston, Lyon, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, and Helsinki, where dogs are already allowed on public buses.

“We hope other cities in Quebec will follow suit!” the animal shelter stated.

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