Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, François Legault, the Premier of Québec and Valérie Plante, the Mayor of Montréal in attendance, CDPQ and its subsidiary, CDPQ Infra, as well as the representatives of Groupe PMM consortium inaugurated the first section of the Montreal automated REM metro system (Réseau express métropolitain), connecting Brossard to Gare Centrale.
“The REM will transform the way people get around the Greater Montréal area. It is the largest public transportation project undertaken in Québec in the last 50 years and will ensure that Montrealers and all Canadians benefit from a transportation service to Montréal-Trudeau International Airport that is both efficient and clean. We are a major partner in this major project,” Justin Trudeau said.
The event was held on July 28, 2023, and the dignitaries and members of the public took part in the first official trip on the 16.6‑km route connecting downtown Montréal to Brossard in 18 minutes. This is the first section – South Shore section – of the REM network served by 5 stations between Brossard municipality situated 13 km from Montreal city centre and Central Railway Station.
“The inauguration of the first segment of the REM marks an important milestone in the history of the metropolitan area, and the start of a new era of mobility in Montréal. This new structural link is one of the keys to ensuring the vitality of our downtown and, eventually, to redeveloping and densifying the Bridge-Bonaventure area. This ambitious project is part of our vision for a more accessible and resilient metropolitan area for future generations,” the Mayor of the Ville de Montréal said.
The opening of the section follows intensive trials which included the dry run launched at the end of June.
The section is operated by 13 four-car trains manufactured by Alstom, running 20 hours per day with a frequency which varies from every 3 minutes 45 seconds during peak hours to every 7 minutes 30 seconds outside of peak hours. The first 17 km section is equipped with a system of platform screen doors installed by Alstom, a first in Quebec.
The South Shore branch provides integration of a sustainable and structuring transport system on the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge that was lit up in green to mark the inauguration of phase 1 of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) which connects Brossard on the South Shore to Central Station in downtown Montreal. The line has also two bridges – l’Île-des-Sœurs channel and Lachine Canal and a maintenance centre and control centre using cutting-edge technology.
This major step marks the start of a new network that is efficient, reliable and will facilitate the daily travel of over 30,000 people as they go to work, school, leisure activities, appointments or to visit friends and family.
The consortium led by Alstom, Groupe des partenaires pour la mobilité des Montréalais (Groupe PMM) was selected to provide REM with a complete driverless, automated metro system, including rolling stock and signalling, and will operate and maintain the entire 67-km system for 30 years.
Under the contract, Groupe PMM will supply 106 two-car Metropolis trains (212 Metropolis metro cars), Alstom’s Urbalis GoA4 driverless and automated CBTC solution, and Alstom’s Iconis control centre solution, as well as platform screen doors, Wi-Fi connectivity, cybersecurity, depot equipment and 30 years of operations and maintenance services, including HealthHubTM for predictive maintenance and fleet management. Groupe PMM is also responsible for train and system integration tests.
When entirely completed, the Montreal automated REM metro will be one of the world’s largest automated transport networks with a length of 67 km served by 26 stations connecting downtown Montreal to the South Shore, the North Shore, the West Island and Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
Once completed, the fully automated and electric REM will reduce GHG emissions by 100,000 tonnes per year.
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