Over one million Montrealers depend on the STM day by day to get to work, college, appointments, or an evening in town.
However these days, an increasing number of transit riders are questioning how secure the town’s metro system actually is.
To be clear, Montreal’s public transit is taken into account secure by international requirements. However latest figures inform a worrying story.
In 2025, reported assaults within the Montreal metro rose 15% to 726 cases (the best complete because the begin of the pandemic). On the similar time, an internal STM memo revealed that calls about disorderly conduct jumped sharply, whereas drug-related calls skyrocketed by 166% in recent times.
By January 2025, the sense of safety amongst commuters had hit an all-time low, with solely half of passengers saying they felt actually secure utilizing the system.
We determined to go straight to the supply and asked our readers on Facebook which stations make them really feel essentially the most unsafe.
Lots of of replies poured in. And sure areas stored developing time and again.
Atwater
Atwater topped the record by a large margin. Readers described rowdiness in crowded areas close to elevators, folks handed out on the bottom with needles seen, and felony behaviour.
- “I noticed an outdated girl pushed nearly into the tracks at Atwater.”
- “Atwater station, particularly early within the morning. On the elevator exit, there are a number of intoxicated folks on the bottom, and it is very slim. There are syringes too.”
Lionel-Groulx
Many readers pointed to this station, with some noting that it has worsened in recent times on account of adjustments within the surrounding space.
- “I used to be pickpocketed there. Fortunately, somebody noticed it occurring and yelled to warn me.”
- “Lionel-Groulx has gotten worse because the supervised injection website opened [nearby].”
- “Lionel Groulx, a couple of years in the past 2 murders [happened there] 6 hours aside.”
Berri-UQAM
The station (and particularly the Sainte-Catherine entrance) was steadily talked about for drug exercise occurring brazenly, even close to the police station, together with folks being adopted.
- “I used to be actually adopted a number of occasions, I’ve seen syringes on the bottom and other people operating round with them, full-on drug dealings… There’s a police station proper subsequent to it, and it is nonetheless very sketch. I keep away from it just like the plague.”
- “I walked into an entrance the place folks have been promoting and utilizing laborious medicine.”
Man-Concordia
Usually grouped with different downtown stations, readers talked about random aggression and feeling uneasy there.
- “Man-Concordia, the place I used to be punched within the head by a weirdo for no cause.”
- “My least favorite station is Man-Concordia.”
Place d’Armes
Readers described open drug use on benches and platforms.
- “I’ve seen folks capturing up on a bench at Place d’Armes … as in the event that they have been consuming water, prefer it was regular and acceptable.”
- “Now, Place d’Armes. That is the place all of the individuals who use medicine hang around.”
Lucien-L’Allier
The decrease ranges and general depth of this station linked to the Bell Centre have been particularly referred to as uncomfortable or unsafe by a number of readers.
- “Method down within the depths of Lucien-L’Allier — in all probability one of many ones I might say is unsafe.”
Bonaventure
Bonaventure was talked about many occasions. A number of graphic descriptions emerged about public incidents at this station.
- “Bonaventure is the worst metro station. I’ve seen a person taking a sh*t on the ground, a person j*rking off with pants totally down whereas passing by, seen somebody capturing a needle, seen one other smoking a crack pipe…”
Saint-Laurent
Talked about a number of occasions, one reader mentioned that is the one station that ever made them really feel actually unsafe.
- “Just one station had ever made me really feel like that, and it was Saint-Laurent.”
Different stations that got here up typically
Snowdon, Saint-Henri, Papineau, Place des Arts, Georges-Vanier, Jean-Talon, Frontenac, Côte-Vertu, and Vendôme all obtained a number of mentions.
Broader complaints included all the inexperienced line within the downtown part, the blue line (“smells like pee”), and points occurring extra on the trains themselves than within the stations.
What readers additionally mentioned
Many individuals pushed again, noting that Montreal’s metro remains to be comparatively secure in comparison with different cities they’ve lived in or visited. Well-liked feedback included:
- “I’ve lived in worse cities than Montreal by far.”
- “In the event you’ve lived in any huge outdated US metropolis… then most or all Montreal metros are secure.”
- “I really feel tremendous so long as I thoughts my very own enterprise.”
- “I dwell in Vancouver and go to Montreal yearly. You do not have an issue.”
Others referred to as for extra safety presence or mentioned the scenario has worsened noticeably in the previous couple of years, particularly since COVID.