Griffintown, Central Station, McGill and Édouard-Montpetit: Work sites in the downtown core

The REM will make it easy to get around the downtown core. In the coming weeks, with the arrival of spring temperatures, work will intensify in this area. Here is a look at the ongoing and upcoming work.  

Griffintown: Installation of new REM infrastructure 

This year will be a pivotal year in Griffintown. The objective is to be ready for the commissioning of the first branch, between Brossard and Central Station, scheduled for spring/summer 2022.  

Repair work under the southbound overpass, the elevated railway structure that runs along Robert-Bourassa Boulevard, should be completed this summer. Work on the overpass will continue until the end of the year, in order to install the entire new railway infrastructure, from the rails to the electrical system. A lot of work will be done in the Smith Street sector to build the embankment and widen the De la Commune bridge. 

Major night work will be done in the Smith Street sector in spring and summer of 2021. This work must be done at night due to the close proximity to the railroad tracks in operation during the day. For more information, see our Works info on this subject. 

Central Station: An underground construction site 

More than 120 people are working on the underground platform and concourse levels to build the future REM station in the middle of the Central Station Complex. Currently, electromechanical equipment and services (e.g., elevators, ventilation and electricity) are being installed, and the mechanical rooms, the station and its access points are being built. This station will be quite large—over 13,000 holes must be made to hang the equipment from the ceiling! 

McGill: Rehabilitation of the double arch in the Mont-Royal Tunnel begins 

This sector will be heavily impacted in 2021. In addition to the continuation of the work on McGill station and its mechanical rooms, major rehabilitation and reinforcement work will begin in the Mont-Royal Tunnel, to the north and south of the future station. 

In fact, the REM will run through downtown’s Mont-Royal Tunnel, a century-old underground railway infrastructure located under McGill College Avenue. Mont-Royal Tunnel’s double arch is severely degraded due to the use of de-icing salt on the surface and the lack of a waterproofing membrane, and is in need of major repairs. 

This work will be done underground, directly inside the tunnel, in order to minimize the impact. However, additional barriers will be put in place on McGill College Avenue to carry out this work. The avenue will be completely closed to northbound traffic between Cathcart Street and Sherbrooke Street West, with partial closures (one lane) in the southbound lanes. 

Other work by the STM and the City of Montréal is also underway in the McGill College Avenue area, for the Sainte-Catherine project. Visit their websites to learn more. 

Édouard-Montpetit: End of controlled blasts 

The controlled blasting that has been going on since 2018 for the Édouard-Montpetit station is just about complete! In a few weeks, this phase of work will be fully finished. 

At the same time, the erection of the steel structure—the skeleton—of the station is well underway. By the end of April, the steel beams should be clearly visible from the surface. 

Starting in early May, a new phase of work will begin for the construction of the entrance, which will connect the Montréal metro and the REM.