Montreal's transit headaches are far from over, and another weekend of no buses or metros could be coming fast.
After the complete shutdown on November 1 that left Montrealers without any public transit for nearly 29 hours, the union representing 4,500 STM bus drivers, metro operators and station staff has officially confirmed its next strike dates for Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16.
According to an STM press release, if essential services are not imposed by the Labour Relations Board, Montreal could see two full days with zero public transportation across the island.
This would mark the second and third total shutdowns this month, on top of the ongoing maintenance workers' strike that has already slashed transit service to a bare-bones schedule.
No agreement yet for essential services
While negotiations are ongoing, the STM says that, so far, there is no agreement with the union regarding essential services for November 15 and 16. This means the Administrative Labour Tribunal Board must now decide if a minimum level of service needs to be maintained for safety and public health.
If the tribunal rules the same way it did for November 1, Montrealers could once again wake up to closed stations, locked turnstiles and no buses on the road for an entire weekend.
What service looks like right now
The strike by 2,400 maintenance employees remains in effect seven days a week until November 28 at 10 p.m., unless a deal is reached earlier.
During this period, bus and metro service is restricted all week, including weekends:
• Buses and metros are only running during morning and afternoon rush hours
• Limited late-evening service operates until around 1:15 a.m.
• Paratransit (Transport adapté) remains available throughout the strike
The STM is reminding users that real-time transit apps like Google Maps, Transit and Chrono may not show accurate schedules right now and that stm.info is the most reliable source during the strike.
Live service updates and the restricted schedules for each métro line are posted here.
Expect more major event disruptions
The reduced hours are already affecting thousands of people attending November events in Montreal, including concerts, Habs games and even the Santa Claus Parade. If the November 15 and 16 shutdown goes ahead with no service, fans heading to the Bell Centre, Place Bell or downtown events will need to rely on cars, rideshares or carpooling.
Upcoming events that fall outside authorized transit hours include:
• Canadiens home games at the Bell Centre
• Paul McCartney at the Bell Centre (Nov. 17 and 18)
• Santa Claus Parade downtown (Nov. 22)
• Book Fair at Palais des Congrès (Nov. 19 to 23)
The STM warns that some events begin or end when there is no metro or bus service available, and urges people to check last train times before heading out.
With negotiations still stalled, Montrealers may want to start planning backup ways to get around for mid-November.
