In the summer of 2022, Climate Justice Montreal launched our Public Transit Campaign as an immediate response to the city’s decision to raise fares, but also as part of a longer term strategy to advance climate and social justice initiatives.
Transportation currently accounts for 40% of Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the most polluting sector of the economy. While personal vehicle use represents a major contribution to this amount, we cannot place the blame on individuals’ consumption choices when larger systemic factors are at play.
For many people in Montreal, having a car seems more practical than relying on public transit, even as cars cost them thousands of dollars a year. In addition, the cost of public transit is itself a barrier that disproportionately burdens less wealthy Montrealers. Despite this, our provincial government chooses to focus their climate action on investing in electric vehicle subsidies, which does not really address transport costs, and replaces destructive fossil fuel extraction with destructive rare mineral extraction.
To address both the environmental and social impacts of individualized transport, CJM is calling for greater investments into public transit infrastructure by expanding and improving the service and by making it free to use. We condemn budget cuts to public transit and an overreliance on electric vehicles as a false solution to climate and economic crises.
Our campaign has thus far focused on tabling outside of metro stations and community events to engage with people and gauge public interest in the campaign, which has thus far been positive. We have used our social media platform to amplify issues and developments related to transit. We have put up posters at several locations to spread our message about the importance of accessible and affordable public transit.
However, there is much work to be done and we are always reassessing our approach to determine the most effective next steps. We encourage those who are interested to reach out to us to get involved and help us continue this struggle.
Transit Town Hall
Fare-free, Accessible and Expanded Public Transit: A Climate Justice Perspective
Come discuss the possibility of fare-free, expanded and accessible public transit in Montreal at this town hall. Members of CJM will be on hand to discuss a climate justice perspective to building an inclusive path to building a cross-movement coalition that will bring about one of the pillars of a just city for all. We will also have experts and folks with crucial lived experience on hand to shine a light on some potential blind spots of a public transit movement: disability justice, the radical potential of having free transit, how defunding oppressive institutions can help refund public services, the realities of the urban Indigenous community and the risk of displacement when expanding transit-oriented infrastructure. The panelists are:
- Jason Prince - Prenons la Ville! - Free Public Transport
- Ted Rutland - Defund la Police - Refunding for Transit
- Shirley - Indigenous Support Work Project - Urban Indigenous realities
- Marie Turcotte - Ex Aequo - Accessibility in Montreal Transit
- Yas - Imagining an Otherwise - Transit Oriented Displacement
We are aware that some key interest will be less present, such as, but not limited to: good, unionized jobs in the face of low-grade work through Uber-ification of transit, right to housing as an equally important measure to having a just city and full inclusion of refugees and migrants through a status for all approach. These will be addressed, while working with directly affected communities, in future events and discussions.
Food, child care and English to French translation will be available on site.
Accessibility: The Cité-des-Hospitalières has many sets of stairs, but is wheelchair accessible, this is through a cargo loader and an elevator that leads to the salle Noviciat, located on the second floor. Please communicate with us beforehand to arrange entry. 
poster by Meredith Smallwood