Montreal's Mile End residents fight for pedestrian crossing after train hits woman

The death of a young woman hit by a train in Montreal's Mile End district is reigniting demands for pedestrian crossing in the area.

The 31-year-old woman was crossing the railway in broad daylight near the intersection of Van Horne Avenue and Saint-Laurent Boulevard on Feb. 3. She passed through one of the many openings residents made in the fence to avoid making a detour via the pass-through on Saint-Denis Street before she was struck.

She had just left her job to make a delivery, according to one of her friends. The coroner is investigating, but everything points to an accident.

$650 fine for crossing railway

In the days that followed, residents said on social media that they had received tickets amounting to $650 from railway police for unlawful trespassing.

Last June, the amount of the fine for trespassing on railway tracks rose from $100 to $500, a provision of the Railway Safety Act.

A few days after the accident, Hashemi Habbari was shocked to learn the amount of the fine.

"I've done this all my life, crossing the train tracks, and I've never had any negative consequences," he said. "If I had known it was $650, maybe I would have thought a little more."

"I don't understand why there's no passage for people to cross safely."

Like many residents, he preferred to take the shortcut to get to his destination. From the Rosemont metro station, the detour via the pass-through can take about 20 minutes to get to the other side.

An old debate

The debate surrounding pedestrian safety near the railway isn't new. In 2009, citizens campaigned for the construction of pedestrian crossings.

Richard Ryan, who served as Mile End City Councillor from 2009 to 2021, supported residents' demands, without success.

"An accident like the one we saw in February is perhaps the kind of event [that] can be avoided," he said, adding that he tried to discuss the issue with CP, but there was "no response at all."

"It's normal for people to take shortcuts, rather than make big detours to get to where they want to go."

Nearly 12,000 workers pass through the area, according to Ryan.

The deadlock ended up before the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), the only body able to construct railroad crossings. There were negotiations and mediation until the agency decided passage wouldn't be authorized.

Alexandre Boulerice, MP for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie says the Railway Safety Act should be reformed to allow the federal government to request level crossings.

"The powers granted to railway companies at the federal level are disproportionate," he said. "They must meet the needs of the population."

Despite the ongoing fight, several members of the citizens' committee, including Mistaya Hemingway, remain hopeful.

"It's the story of people who do not want to be forced to go through poorly maintained pass-throughs that are very far from the destination," she said.

In an email, Canadian Pacific (CP) reminded pedestrians to only cross the railway tracks at designated public crossings.

"Trespassing on railway tracks is illegal and dangerous," CP said, adding that the company would continue to patrol the area to enforce laws.

After the incident, Transport Canada also issued an order to CP and Montreal. The document orders the implementation of various measures near the boundary between the Rosemont and Plateau-Mont-Royal boroughs.

These measures include regular inspections and maintenance of the fence to prevent trespassing, reducing speed in the area, patrolling to discourage trespassing, and the use of the engine bell during the daytime to warn intruders.

In a written statement, the Minister of Transport says the accident is a reminder that the current situation does not sufficiently ensure pedestrians' safety. He promised to work with local elected officials and the city to find solutions.