A Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) mechanic protests outside their facility in Montreal on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

By The Canadian Press

Montreal transit strike averted after tentative deal reached with drivers’ union

Nov 14, 2025 | 4:21 PM

MONTREAL — Bus and metro service is set to continue in Montreal this weekend after the city’s public transit network reached a last-minute, tentative deal with its drivers’ union, averting planned strike action.

The strike was set to begin early Saturday and last until Monday, but the Société de transport de Montréal, in a news release, announced it reached a deal late Friday. Transit users can now expect regular bus and metro service for the weekend.

The union has said working conditions for drivers have deteriorated. In a statement, union head Frederic Therrien said the deal meets their goal of resolving the conflict at the bargaining table.

“Our goal was to reach a negotiated agreement, and we have achieved it,” he said. “Now it will be up to the members to decide through the democratic structures provided for in our bylaws and regulations.”

Therrien said there will be no further comment until the deal has been ratified by the union’s roughly 4,500 bus drivers, metro operators and station agents.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

Ferland earns Grey Cup ring

'A wonderful human being': High school coach thrilled Logan Ferland is a Grey Cup champion

Nov 17, 2025

Marie-Claude Léonard, CEO of the Société de transport de Montréal, said in a statement the agreement includes compromises on all sides.

“I would like to thank all the teams for their work,” she said in French. “This important milestone also means that we can avoid another strike and significant impacts on the public, as requested by Mayor Martinez Ferrada.”

Meanwhile, the union representing about 1,300 administrative, technical and professional employees has said its members plan to strike for two days beginning Wednesday.

Quebec’s labour tribunal has ruled that 33 members must be available Nov. 19 to maintain public health and safety in the network.

Earlier this week, roughly 2,400 maintenance workers suspended their month-long strike, which had limited bus and subway service to peak hours and late evenings. But their union has said a deal is far away.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2025.

— With files from Aaron Sousa in Edmonton.

Lia Lévesque, The Canadian Press