REM South Shore opening delayed until spring of 2023

The South Shore section of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) project will not open until the spring of 2023 according to an updated project timeline provided by CDPQ Infra.

CDPQ Infra explains the Montreal automated rail project has continued construction during the past 30 months “in an exceptional context.” President and CEO of CDPQ Infra Jean-Marc Arbaud notes major challenges including supply chain issues, the price of goods and available manpower contributed to final tests for the South Shore section being pushed later than originally scheduled, which would have put the start of service in the middle of winter 2023.

The company made the decision to further push the opening of the South Shore stations between Brossard and Central Station to the spring of 2023 to better optimize the implementation of the REM transportation network, as well as its partners bus networks.

"We fully understand the users who are eager to see the REM's service launch. Our teams have worked hard in the last few months in a challenging environment to deliver a reliable network. Taking a few more months to deliver an experience that lives up to expectations was the responsible decision to make,” said Arbaud.

CDPQ Infra reports 2022 marked several achievements in the development of the 67-kilometer (41.6-mile) REM network including the completion of infrastructure work, the complete electrification of the South Shore branch and, since July, the test run of the circulation of the REM cars between Brossard and Central Station.

"We are now in the final stage of completing the final testing required to meet our commitment to deliver a reliable, high-quality network into service,” said Arbaud. “Work on the REM began in 2018; today, the observation is that in five years, the project has taken shape at an exceptional speed, despite a global pandemic that spanned half of that period. This is a major accomplishment and a source of great pride. Adding an extra period of testing to reinforce the full reliability of the system will ensure a successful rollout for future users."

The project’s Deux-Montagnes and Anse-A-L’orme segments are expected to open in late 2024, while the segment to YUL-Montreal-Trudeau Airport will open with input from Aeroport de Montreal.