Montreal transit agency budgets more than $500 million to replace subway equipment

Société de transport de Montreal (STM) plans to spend $582.5 million (in Canadian dollars) from 2015 to 2020 to replace fixed equipment in its Metro subway system.

The investment is part of the fourth phase of STM's "Reno-Systems" program aimed at replacing subway equipment.

"The subway system has a host of fixed equipment that are critical to its operations and are an impressive heritage," said STM Chairman Philippe Schnobb in a press release.

Under the fourth phase of work, STM will:
• replace equipment used to supply, convert and distribute electricity to the subway;
• equip 17 stations with elevators and take other measures to make subway stations accessible to people with disabilities;
• upgrade ventilation systems;
• replace and add telecommunications systems and processes; and
• replace track equipment and train control systems.

The program's funding is subject to approvals by the Montreal City Council and Montreal Agglomeration. The work is eligible for a grant from the Ministry of Transportation of Quebec. A funding application will be filed once the approvals are obtained, STM officials said.