Montreal REM Opens 14-Kilometre Western Extension

MONTREAL, CANADA – CDPQ Infra and the Government of Quebec officially commissioned the 14-kilometre Anse-à-l’Orme western extension of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) in May 2026. The new section adds four stations in Pointe-Claire, Kirkland, and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, expanding the automated metro network’s operational footprint to 64 kilometres and 23 active stations. This milestone follows the launch of the Deux-Montagnes line in November 2025, which currently carries an average of 78,000 weekday passengers.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The newly commissioned western section extends the REM automated light metro network by 14 kilometres into Montreal’s West Island to connect ten additional municipalities and boroughs. The extension integrates with reorganised local bus networks operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and exo to establish a high-frequency intermodal transit corridor. Alstom is supplying 212 Metropolis cars, Urbalis GoA4 driverless signalling, and cybersecurity systems, while operational management is handled by the Pulsar consortium—comprising AtkinsRéalis and Alstom—under a 30-year operations and maintenance contract. The final three-kilometre segment connecting the network to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is scheduled for completion in 2027.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

Montreal’s 67-kilometre fully automated REM network represents one of the largest driverless rapid transit systems under development globally, rivaling Vancouver’s SkyTrain network. At its full build-out of 67 kilometres, the REM will rank as the second-longest fully automated driverless metro system in North America, closely trailing Vancouver’s 80-kilometre SkyTrain network (Source: TransLink, 2024). While the specific capital expenditure for this 14-kilometre western segment was not publicly disclosed at the time of publication, similar mid-scale driverless extensions in North America, such as the 5.7-kilometre Broadway Subway Project in Vancouver, have faced budgets exceeding C$2.83 billion due to urban excavation complexities (Source: BC Ministry of Transportation, 2023). In contrast, the REM’s extensive use of pre-existing rail corridors and elevated guideways has allowed for a much larger geographic expansion per dollar spent.

Editor’s Analysis

The western expansion of the REM demonstrates a structural shift in North American transit delivery, proving that pension-fund-backed models like CDPQ Infra can successfully execute mega-scale rail projects. By integrating GoA4 automation with local bus restructuring, Montreal is establishing a blueprint for high-frequency suburban transit that challenges traditional car dependency. This alignment matches a broader global trend of accelerating investments in smart, automated signaling systems to optimize existing infrastructure capacity without massive civil works (Source: Railway Gazette, 2026).

FAQ

Q: What is the total length of the REM Montreal network after this expansion?
A: The REM network has expanded to 64 kilometres of operational track following the opening of the western section. Once the final airport link opens, the system will reach its full planned length of 67 kilometres.

Q: When will the REM connection to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport open?
A: The airport section is currently scheduled to enter commercial service in 2027. Testing on this final line is slated to begin in the coming weeks following initial test runs in late 2025.

Q: Who is responsible for operating and maintaining the new rail line?
A: The Pulsar operator, a joint consortium formed by AtkinsRéalis and Alstom, is managing operations. They are bound to a 30-year contract to run and maintain the automated metro network.