REM: Service launch in 2025 and upcoming interruptions
Caisse de dépôt now targets fall 2025 for the opening of the Deux-Montagnes and Anse-à-l'Orme branches of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM), with new cost overruns expected and planned service interruptions in the coming months.
The President and CEO of CDPQ Infra announced fall 2025 as the timeline on Thursday during a press conference in Montreal. "We are confident today that we'll launch the entire REM in fall 2025," said Jean-Marc Arbaud.
Planned Interruptions
Completing work on the Mont-Royal tunnel, gradually transferring all operations from the temporary control centre in Saint-Eustache to the permanent control centre in Brossard, antenna integration tests, and other tasks will require service interruptions at various times throughout 2025.
In January, "service will end earlier in the evenings on weekends."
From February to April, REM service will be interrupted every weekend.
In April 2025, there will be interruptions on weekday evenings.
Additionally, a four-to-six-week closure is planned "during the off-peak period in summer 2025" to allow for "intensified testing, final integration, and preparations for the fall launch."
The President and CEO of CDPQ Infra explained that these service stoppages between Brossard and Central Station have been scheduled outside peak and high-traffic periods to minimize the impact on riders.
He also mentioned that a "temporary service plan" will be implemented to "meet our users' needs throughout this transition period."
Cost Overruns
The extension of work across the network and the completion of the Mont-Royal tunnel have led to cost overruns of $392 million, according to Thursday's update.
Thus, "the net project cost now stands at $8.34 billion, an increase of 4.9 per cent compared to our last financial update over a year ago," according to documents presented to the media. The cost per kilometre for the REM is now $125 million, "a cost far below that of the best comparable projects in North America," according to Jean-Marc Arbaud.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French Nov. 14, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Donald Trump picks former U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated former diplomat and U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the American ambassador to Canada.
Genetic evidence backs up COVID-19 origin theory that pandemic started in seafood market
A group of researchers say they have more evidence to suggest the COVID-19 pandemic started in a Chinese seafood market where it spread from infected animals to humans. The evidence is laid out in a recent study published in Cell, a scientific journal, nearly five years after the first known COVID-19 outbreak.
This is how much money you need to make to buy a house in Canada's largest cities
The average salary needed to buy a home keeps inching down in cities across Canada, according to the latest data.
'My two daughters were sleeping': London Ont. family in shock after their home riddled with gunfire
A London father and son they’re shocked and confused after their home was riddled with bullets while young children were sleeping inside.
Smuggler arrested with 300 tarantulas strapped to his body
Police in Peru have arrested a man caught trying to leave the country with 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants strapped to his body.
Boissonnault out of cabinet to 'focus on clearing the allegations,' Trudeau announces
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced embattled minister Randy Boissonnault is out of cabinet.
Baby dies after being reported missing in midtown Toronto: police
A four-month-old baby is dead after what Toronto police are calling a “suspicious incident” at a Toronto Community Housing building in the city’s midtown area on Wednesday afternoon.
Sask. woman who refused to provide breath sample did not break the law, court finds
A Saskatchewan woman who refused to provide a breath sample after being stopped by police in Regina did not break the law – as the officer's request was deemed not lawful given the circumstances.
Parole board reverses decision and will allow families of Paul Bernardo's victims to attend upcoming parole hearing in person
The families of the victims of Paul Bernardo will be allowed to attend the serial killer’s upcoming parole hearing in person, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) says.