JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Although the scheduled opening of the West Island REM light rail system is still officially set for October and the last stages of testing will continue until mid-August with a “dry run” set for September, officials with the transit service are hinting delays could push the launch date by a “few months.”

“For the time being, our goal remains to commission our entire network this fall,” said Francis Labbé, assistant director of media relations for CDPQ Infra, the group responsible for managing the REM network.

But that will depend on a number of factors.

Dynamic testing of the West Island branch of the REM line began in September 2024. This involved simulated real-time travel between the Anse-à-l’Orme station in Ste. Anne de Bellevue and the Bois-Franc station in St. Laurent.

Then in June, West Islanders may have noticed an increase in the frequency of the REM trains passing on the elevated tracks, as the “intensive summer testing” phase kicked off June 20, with trains running between 5:30 a.m. and midnight each day. These tests will continue until Aug. 17.

In September, CDPQ Infra will then initiate what it calls “dry runs,” real-time simulations of the rail service in operation.

Similar testing is being conducted on the network’s other new line, the Deux-Montagnes branch, which services the North Shore.

“If, at the end of our trials, one of the two branches must be prioritized, it will be the Deux-Montagnes branch,” Labbé explained. “If this situation arises, the Anse-à-l’Orme branch would be brought into service a few months later.”

Labbé offered no other details.

Since July 2023, only the South Shore line of the REM network, which links Longueuil with Montreal, has been open to public use. However, this line has been plagued with operational issues, including shutdowns due to poor weather conditions and technical errors. The South Shore line has been completely shut down since July 5 for system-wide testing ahead of its coming expansion and is expected to reopen on Aug. 17.

Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault had told reporters earlier this year that the numerous delays and shutdowns on the REM’s South Shore line were unacceptable and that commuters expect “efficient and reliable service.”