Montreal paratransit services face potential funding crisis and service cuts

The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) warns that paratransit services in the Greater Montreal area face significant potential cuts due to government funding methods. An internal note suggests that because the Quebec government is using 2024 ridership data to set 2027 funding levels rather than 2025 data, the region faces a projected deficit of $63 million by 2028.

Projections indicate that nearly 1.8 million trips could go unfunded in 2027, representing a 24% decrease in planned travel. This shortfall threatens the ‘zero refusal’ principle, which aims to guarantee access for all users. Local transit advocates, including the AUTAL, express concern that service may be restricted to medical trips only, potentially sidelining social and leisure activities.

Additionally, the SCFP 1983 union argues that the gradual privatization of paratransit services has weakened the network. The union notes that while the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) transitioned to private providers to save costs, the move has resulted in a loss of specialized expertise and reduced logistical efficiency, as private vehicles often accommodate fewer passengers than previous public minibuses.