MONTREAL -- Regional transit authority exo has suspended service on the South Shore Candiac line "until further notice" due to the presence of protesters.
A shuttle bus service remains in effect to bring clients into the city, the company said in a statement on Thursday. "However, please be aware that, due to the shortage of drivers and buses in the greater metropolitan area, the shuttle service may be reduced and may require the use of school buses," the statement added.
Commuters should check exo's website for updates, the company said. "[E]xo is monitoring the situation closely and encourages its clients to visit its website and exo4 Candiac line Twitter feed to get the latest information regarding this service disruption. These platforms will be updated regularly over the next few hours, and for the duration of the disruption," it wrote.
Mohawk demonstrators have set up a blockade on the tracks in Kahnawake, south of Montreal. They have said they'll remain there as long as the RCMP is present on Wet'suwet'en territory in northwestern British Columbia, where a dispute over a pipeline has sparked protests from Indigenous groups and others across the country.
"Stop the pipeline; it's that simple; stop the pipeline," said Tekarontake, one of the protesters. "Canada will not fall apart because there's not a pipeline. It just means some American businessmen won't be able to line their pockets."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that the rule of law must be followed after the railway blockades forced CN Rail to shut down its entire Eastern Canada network and Via Rail to cancel passenger trains nationwide.
CN Rail, which obtained court orders in hopes of ending the blockades, said Thursday it is progressively shutting down its operations in Eastern Canada "until the illegal blockades end."
