STM strike: Do I buy a transit pass for November?

Public transit users in Montreal are bracing for a strike which may last a month.

Workers at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) are threatening a strike that could last almost the entire month of November.

Last week, the union representing maintenance workers confirmed that it plans to strike from the night of Oct. 31 to Nov. 28.

• READ MORE: STM maintenance workers announce month-long strike dates

That means no overtime, but slowdowns and stoppages, “although service will be maintained during rush hour.”

This is in addition to bus drivers and Metro operators who have announced that they will be holding strike days on Nov. 1, 15 and 16.

As such, the STM has provided an update on the situation, including the fact that the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) is “not planning on issuing refunds for validated monthly or weekly passes.”

• READ MORE: STM strike: union opposes extending essential service hours on election day

“If you have purchased a monthly pass for the coming month, it is refundable as long as it has not yet begun its first day of validity,” the STM states. “If you have not yet purchased any passes, once we know the restricted service schedules and share them with you, if you have no alternative, you will be able to select the passes that best suit your needs.”

The STM adds that the ARTM will not be offering monetary compensation to anyone forced to find alternative transport.

• READ MORE: 4,500 STM workers to strike for first time in 38 years

“If you are a regular public transit user, the monthly pass remains an economical option, even during reduced service,” it claims.

Maintenance workers previously held two other strikes, one from June 9 to 17, and another from Sept. 22 to Oct. 5.

Public transit users will have to keep abreast of the changing bus and Metro schedules on the STM website, and make an informed decision on which pass best suits their individual needs.