Is the REM having growing pains?
Since the new Anse-à-l’Orme branch was put into service on May 18, service interruptions have become a regular occurrence on the light-rail network. A rudimentary count of the service interruptions posted on the network’s X account shows that there were interruptions and slowdowns on 20 of the 52 days since the four new stations opened.
This past week was no exception. On Wednesday, trains were not able to run between the Fairview—Pointe-Claire station and the Bois-Franc station. REM teams blamed equipment failure on the track. Eventually, the operator was able to put in place a train shuttle between both stations using the working track. Passengers had to get off their trains and get onto other trains to continue their journeys.
08-07-2026 10:12 AM
Service interruption located between Fairview-Pointe-Claire and Bois-Franc stations, in all directions.
Cause: Equipment failure on track.
Resumption time undetermined.
Travel options: https://t.co/eRUg2R0boG
— Réseau express métropolitain (@REM_infoservice) July 8, 2026
It was the second day in a row and the fourth day this month that the network experienced some sort of technical issue. On Tuesday, power supply issues interrupted all service between Brossard and Panama stations on the South Shore for more than an hour. West Island residents weren’t spared, however, because earlier in the day, there was a slowdown in the service between Deux-Montagnes and Bois-Franc, as well as between Bois-Franc and Anse-à-l’Orme.
Speaking for Pulsar, the REM’s operator, Maxime Laliberté said the causes of the most recent breakdowns were not related.
Editor’s Picks
On Wednesday, it was a switch problem between the Bois-Franc and Fairview—Pointe-Claire stations that caused the issue. However, he said the problem was resolved overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, allowing for normal service when the network opened on Thursday morning.
Tuesday’s problem was due to a breakage of equipment that supplies power to the South Shore branch. The slowdown on the West Island was blamed on a switch as well.
When asked if there was a general issue with the train’s maintenance, Laliberté said the expansion of the network has resulted in unforeseen events.
“Like every public transit system, it is normal to encounter some interruptions,” he wrote in an emailed statement. “It is important to remember that we integrated 14 additional stations seven months ago, and four additional stations barely two and a half months ago. We now operate over 20 hours per day, seven days a week on a network that spans 64 km, which is a significant challenge. Pulsar is increasingly agile, despite the problems assuring service across the network. For example, we were able to put in place a REM shuttle train service between the Bois-Franc and Fairview—Pointe-Claire stations to allow service to continue (along the network).”
Reached Thursday, a spokesperson for the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) — which governs transit in the Montreal region — declined to comment about the recent interruptions.
The REM’s breakdowns frustrated passengers particularly during the winter months, when snow, ice and wind posed challenges maintaining the wires, switches and the equipment throughout the network.
At the time, McGill professor Ahmed El-Geneidy, coordinator of the Transportation Research At McGill group, said it’s normal for a new system to have issues during the winter.
“The REM guys … need to evolve with the snow. This is a new system. We didn’t have an outdoor system like that in forever in Montreal, and we’re learning,” he said.
However, weather may be just the start of the REM’s problems. While the first two months of the REM’s service saw a breakdown or slowdown once every four days, in the last 52 days, there has been a stall or outage once every 2.6 days.
You’ll often see Jason Magder donning a hard hat and florescent vest at a local construction site. As The Gazette’s transportation reporter for more than a decade, he has seen the new Champlain Bridge built, the old one demolished and followed the ups and downs of the city’s transit system. He has been covering news in Montreal for 25 years.
jmagder@postmedia.com