Loitering ban lifted in Montreal’s metro system

Montreal’s public transit agency has ended a temporary rule against loitering in the city’s metro system.

The controversial measure, announced in March, required people to keep moving to help address issues such as homelessness in the network, as many had been using metro stations for shelter. The policy aimed to increase feelings of safety and security.

“It’s sad that the STM has to deal with this,” said David Chapman, executive director at Resilience Montreal. “The STM is not set up as a homeless resource. And yet, because of poor planning, the STM is being forced into this role of navigating the needs of unhoused persons. It’s entirely unfair — both to the unhoused and to the STM.”

Chapman said the policy caused growing frustration among those seeking support at the day shelter.

“One of the things I do every morning at 8 a.m. is serve coffee. People come in and I get to hear: How’d it go last night? Where did you sleep? Were you in an alleyway? Were you in a shelter? What was the situation? Oh, you were in the STM? You got kicked out? You got a ticket?” said Chapman.

Chapman sees loitering in metro stations as a symptom of a broader failure to implement long-term solutions to homelessness. He is calling for the creation of safe community spaces in every neighborhood.

“Long-term planning involves making sure that year-round, there’s a safe place for unhoused people to be in every neighborhood in the city — where basic needs can be met: food, clothing, rest, cleanliness. A place to engage with a human being, an intervention worker, about what’s next in your life — what you might need to be part of a broader community where you can contribute something and be acknowledged,” Chapman said. “These resources could exist in every neighborhood. Currently, they don’t.”

In a written statement sent to CityNews, the STM said:
“We will take the time to assess the situation based on the data we are currently collecting and will present our analysis in the coming weeks. […] What we want first and foremost is for long-term measures to be put in place, especially with the upcoming winter season in mind.”