Montreal’s Metro struggles to cope with growing homelessness crisis – CBC

Transit agency complains of serving as ‘last-resort shelter’ as data shows sharp increase in incidents

Feb 24, 2025

As the evening cold set in, Lindy Trapper and three friends spread a blanket on a platform overlooking the tracks at Villa-Maria Metro, in Montreal’s west end.

Soon after, two intervention workers told them to leave. They were escorted up to the subway entrance, but without any clear options, stayed inside.

“I hang around in the Metro until it closes, and then I have to look for somewhere to sleep,” said Trapper, a Cree man from Mistissini, Que.

When the Metro does close, Trapper said he often spends the night in a storefront entrance, where he can escape the worst of the wind. In the morning, he returns to the Metro.

Similar situations are unfolding across the subway system, where people without a place to stay seek reprieve from the cold and snow.

Reports of disturbances in the Metro system, drug usage and concerns from riders about their safety have all surged since the pandemic.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-metro-homeless-1.7465094