STM reintroduces move along order for facilities

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) will reintroduce the move along order for STM facilities through April 30, 2026. The agency says the move is being made in light of the positive results from the temporary security measures STM introduced in late winter. Physical measures at eight targeted stations will also remain in place to focus safety and maintenance resources on smaller spaces and to improve operations. 

“The move along order, in place for six weeks this winter, led to a noticeable increase in the sense of safety among both customers and employees, as well as a reduction in service interruptions caused by disruptive behavior,” said STM Board Chair Éric Alan Caldwell. “For us, these initial results speak for themselves and demonstrate the benefits of this measure, which allows us to refocus on our primary mission. We believe that reintroducing the order for a longer period of time will allow us to collect more data on how it affects our operations. By starting now, we’re also giving the entire social and community network time to adjust before the onset of cold weather. We recognize, however, that this is not an ideal solution. The real solution will be a tangible and sustainable response to help the vulnerable, including more funding for resources, all year long.” 

STM General Manager Marie-Claude Léonard added, “Our initial results clearly show that the move along order allows us to refocus our efforts on our primary mission, which is to provide reliable and safe public transit. We can keep things running smoothly, keep our people and customers safe and provide a better experience for everyone. We can also focus our safety and maintenance resources where they are most needed. That is why we have decided to renew the move along order. We will continue assessing the impact and adapt our actions accordingly.” 

Recap of the additional security measures 

Before the order (November 2024 to February 2025): 

• Crimes and offences saw a 26 percent increase vs 2024. 
• People being escorted out at closing time was up 25 percent vs 2024. 

There were 153 service disruptions of more than five minutes caused by intentional disruptive behavior incidents, the majority of which were people on the track, resulting in more than 35 hours of stoppages. 

The agency saw a decrease in five points per month since January 2025, from 50 percent in January 2025 to 39 percent on March 13, 2025, equating to a drop of 21 points compared to the previous year, while the sense of safety came in at 60 percent in March 2024. 

STM says a survey conducted from mid-February to mid-March 2025 showed a proportion of customers avoid the metro network because they feel unsafe: 

• Nine percent of customers cancelled at least one trip due to lack of safety. The nine percent increased to 21 percent of customers when including those who considered cancelling at least one trip. 
• The impact is greater among younger customers, with nearly 50 percent of young people aged 11 to 15 saying that during the period in question, they changed their travel habits because they felt unsafe. 

STM notes the loss of ridership due to cancelled trips could potentially result in a monthly revenue loss of approximately C$1.2 million (US$874.5 million). 

After the move along order was introduced in April 2025: 

• Crimes and offences were down two percent vs April 2024. 
• People being escorted out at closing time were down 17 percent vs April 2025. 
• Assaults on employees were down 20 percent vs April 2025. 
• A 30 percent reduction in the number of service disruptions lasting five or more minutes and caused by intentional disruptive behavior vs April 2025. 
• Overall sense of safety improved by eight points, from 39 percent in March to 47 percent in April. 

STM says that since the implementation of the move along order, crews on site have found that since the order ended, there has been an increase in the facilities being used for purposes other than travel by metro. The agency notes the renewal of the move along order will make it possible to: 

• Continue to collect data on the impact of the measure on STM operations throughout the winter period. 
• Maintain stability at the stations and maintain the safety of customers and employees. 
• Continue to improve the sense of safety for customers and employees, with the aim of restoring it to a normal level. 
• Maintain the reduction in violent incidents and antisocial behavior, including verbal and physical assaults against people in the station. 
• Maintain hygiene standards by mitigating public health concerns. 
• Limit the number of service disruptions caused by intentional disruptive behavior, including people on the track or in the tunnel. 
• Intervene with people using the station for purposes other than transportation, refer them to appropriate resources and avoid imposing criminal penalties.  

Requests for the health network 

STM notes it continues to lobby the health and social services network with the following suggestions: 

• Keep support services open 24/7, with a high level of accessibility and enough capacity to meet the needs of people near the Berri-UQAM and Bonaventure stations. 
• Support the 24/7 Mission St. Michaels resource near the Bonaventure metro. 
• Ensure that certain emergency shelters are open from early November to the end of April.