Montreal transit strike takes mounting toll on atypical shift workers, seniors

CBC

10 hours ago

Many commuters across Montreal have voiced growing frustration over a public transit strike that has limited bus and Metro service across the city since last week.
But for those who work atypical shifts and rely on transit outside of service hours, the disruption has been especially difficult.
Cassiel Pépin Morales braves early mornings to start his 6 a.m. shift at a Montreal bakery. But his work hours fall outside the reduced service times.
"It's very hard emotionally and financially," he said. "I can't really keep going like this."
He usually leaves home at 5 a.m., but due to the reduced schedule, he's been setting out closer to 4 a.m.
He also recalls having to ride home on a Bixi for two hours after a shift. With a part-time job at the bakery, he said Ubering to and from work is not an option for him, and taxis are often full.
"I would've had to pay $84 to go to work, which is more than I make in a day," he said.
Although he paid for a monthly Opus card, it's currently sitting unused, which adds to the financial burden. He says he's now forced to consider looking for work closer to home if public transit remains "unreliable."
The conflict between the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and maintenance workers, who launched a strike last week, has also been impacting seniors like Ronald Finnegan, a retired Montrealer who typically runs errands during off-peak hours to avoid bigger crowds.
He's been ordering groceries online and relying on Uber to get around.
"Sometimes, I can get someone from the residence to give me a lift, but that's not always convenient. I like to be independent, I like the independence that public transit gives me."
Speaking over videoconference after a gathering with other seniors, Finnegan explained that he hasn't let the strike interfere with his daily activities. The only thing that might stop him, he says, is the air quality.
He can afford a few Uber trips for now, but warns that won't last.
"Hopefully it won't go too long because then, it really starts to cut into your budget," said Finnegan.
Long-term consequences on commuters' behaviours
Gary Saxe, executive director of Project Genesis, has noticed the impact of the reduction of bus and Metro services on vulnerable populations.
He described many residents in the neighbourhood near Côte-Sainte-Catherine Metro station in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce as low income and often isolated.
"It's really hard on them, there are no other options," said Saxe.
He said some need public transportation to bring their children to medical appointments or to get to overnight jobs.
"People are living way below the poverty line, struggling every day with housing problems and income problems," he said, highlighting the need for public transit.
"It's not just a business, it's a needed service for people."
Ahmed El-Geneidy, a professor at McGill University who teaches transport planning, echoes Saxe's concerns.
"This planned disruption is actually harming the most vulnerable in the society," he said.
El-Geneidy noted that among the most affected are early-morning workers at coffee shops and hospital staff who must be physically present at their jobs.
He said society needs to return to the "mentality we had during COVID," when transit was recognized as an essential service.
"We kept the transit and we put a lot of money in there and we felt it was an essential service. Today, we are saying: 'No, it's not that essential,'" said El-Geneidy.
He argued that disruptions like this strike might have long-term consequences on people's behaviour when it comes to their transportation choices.
According to him, they could push people who are "captive riders" — those who rely on public transit because they have no other option — to turn to cars once they gain access to alternatives.
"They will not choose to be transit riders. Those are the ones you're going to harm the most," he said.