The REM takes off, marking new era in Montreal public transit
'Something that all of Montreal and Quebec can be proud of,' says CDPQ Infra president
The inaugural ride on the new light-rail train system has officially taken off, ushering in a new era of public transit for Montreal and the South Shore.
The Réseau express métropolitain, most commonly known as the REM, is the region's largest transit project in decades.
When it's complete, the network will feature 26 stations that span 67 kilometres and connect riders to Montreal's South Shore, the West Island, western Laval and the town of Deux-Montagnes. The southern branch, which links downtown Montreal's Gare Centrale station to the city of Brossard, is opening today.
There are six stations on the REM's southern branch, including three in Brossard:
- Brossard station.
- Du Quartier station.
- Panama station.
- Îles-des-Soeurs station.
- Griffintown-Bernard-Landry station (which won't be open until at least the end of 2024).
- Gare Centrale station.
The entire project was initially priced at $6.3 billion, but that number was updated to $6.9 billion in 2021 and it could climb even higher when CDPQ Infra provides an updated financial estimate.
Friday's ceremony began just after 9 a.m to a round of applause as a REM train pulled into the Brossard station for the historic first trip.
At around 10:30 a.m., the first official REM ride took place, as the train departed from the Brossard station and headed toward downtown Montreal. It's a trip that lasts 18 minutes.
Several elected officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Quebec Premier François Legault and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, were present during the ceremony.
Jean-Marc Arbaud, the president and CEO of the CDPQ Infra, the subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec responsible for the REM project — received a standing ovation as he was introduced.
"We had an idea: A project to improve mobility, the environment, all those things. But that's not enough. It's one thing to talk about it, it's another thing to do it," Arbaud said during his speech in French.
"Together, we created something that all of Montreal and Quebec can be proud of."
As part of the ceremony, a commemorative plaque at the Gare Centrale was installed to mark the day.
At 1 p.m., members of the general public who won a contest organized by the REM got a chance to hop on the train and ride between downtown and the South Shore.
Billy Cohen, who lives in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, was one of the first people to ride the REM on Friday. He says he's looking forward to having easier access to Nuns' Island, where he likes to go for bike rides.
"Now with the REM opening, the island is my oyster, the South Shore as well. I'm excited that it really gets to open up a new part of the city and a big part of the region for me," said Cohen.
"I hope this gets more people out of their cars and more people on their bikes."
On Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., everyone will be able to get a taste of the REM and ride it for free.
The REM, which will operate 20 hours a day, seven days a week between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m., will launch its regular service on Monday.
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