REM riders affected by multiple service interruptions Wednesday
Posted August 19, 2026 7:11 am.
Last Updated August 19, 2026 3:54 pm.
Users of the REM had a rough morning Wednesday as the light-rail network was affected by multiple interruptions and slowdowns.
The first set of interruptions occurred around 6 a.m. when equipment failures at Gare Centrale and Côte-de-Liesse caused trains to stop in both directions.
The network partially recovered with trains between downtown Montreal and Deux-Montagnes and L’Anse-à-l’Orme stations resuming service slowly around 8:20 a.m.
Around 9:30 a.m., REM said service was gradually resuming fully across all the branches of the network.
However, another interruption occurred within an hour with an “external incident” causing outage between Panama and Gare Centrale stations. That incident was later revealed to be a truck that struck an overpass — on which there is a REM track — near Gare Centrale.
The incident required inspection that caused further delays.
Shuttle bus service was available during the interruption.
Wednesday’s service interruptions were the third time the light rail network has faced outages in August with dozens more so far this year.
The repeated failures have left commuters frustrated, prompting Quebec Transport Minister Benoit Charette to intervene.
“I am concerned about the recurring outages of the REM and their consequences for users,” Charette wrote in a post on X.
“I have requested explanations from CDPQ Infra and have made it clear that the situation is unacceptable. I now expect the operator Pulsar to shed full light on the causes of these interruptions and on the measures that will be taken to prevent them from recurring.”
In a statement to CityNews, a spokesperson for Pulsar, Maxime Laliberté said, “We have heard the concerns and requests expressed by various parties since this morning, and we want to assure you that our teams are already working diligently to identify the best ways to prevent a situation like this from happening again.”
