Montreal commuter allegedly shatters door at Champ-de-Mars station amid STM strike
Posted September 26, 2025 12:22 pm.
Last Updated September 26, 2025 3:25 pm.
Tensions around Montreal’s ongoing public transit strike boiled over Friday morning, when a frustrated commuter reportedly shattered a glass door at Champ-de-Mars metro station.
The incident happened around 10:15 a.m., just after scheduled metro service ended for the morning due to the STM rotating maintenance workers’ strike.
CityNews arrived on scene minutes later and saw the broken glass, but did not witness the event directly.
“There was someone who came just after the metro closed,” a witness told CityNews. “A few minutes later, he arrived, saw the doors were locked, and he got angry. He kicked it — not hard, like with his heel — and he broke it. Then he left. That’s it. Just a citizen who was upset. Maybe he wasn’t informed that the metro closes at 10.”
“A team of special constables was dispatched to the scene to carry out the necessary checks, and boarding up of the affected door will be done by our infrastructure maintenance team,” wrote STM spokesperson Renaud Martel-Théorêt in an email to CityNews about this specific incident.
Third day of strike continues to disrupt transit
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is now on Day 3 of a rotating strike involving 2,400 maintenance workers, which began Monday. The two-week labour action will last until Oct. 5, affecting both bus and metro service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Negotiations between the STM and the union have been stalled for over a year. Workers are demanding wage increases that account for inflation, and they’ve raised concerns over working conditions and subcontracting.
During strike days, metro service only runs during three windows:
- Morning: 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
- Afternoon: 2:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
- Evening: 11:00 p.m. – close
Bus service is also reduced, though paratransit remains unaffected.
STM is asking riders to check their website and plan for delays.
Frustration growing among riders
With frequent delays and unclear communication, some commuters say they are confused or unaware of the strike schedule — especially at off-peak hours.
The witness at Champ-de-Mars suggested the man who kicked the door may not have realized metro service had already ended.
STM responds to incident
In a statement to CityNews, STM spokesperson Renaud Martel-Théorêt acknowledged the frustration the public may be feeling during the strike but condemned the damage to transit property.
“We understand that the maintenance workers’ strike may cause anger among customers, but the STM deplores any act aimed at damaging its infrastructure and equipment. This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and is subject to a fine of up to $500, as stated in STM bylaw R-036.
