Opening of the Montreal metro

The completion of this underground transportation project is a much-anticipated moment for Montreal residents.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Montreal has suffered from a lack of a rapid transit system. The streets are crowded and the tram network quickly reveals its flaws.

It is necessary to create an efficient means of transportation to serve the major urban centers.

Many metro construction projects proposed in the 1940s and 1950s were unsuccessful. But with the announcement of the 1967 Montreal World Exposition, the implementation of this ambitious project is accelerating.

The Montreal Metro was officially opened on October 14, 1966, a few months before Expo 67.

An archive montage shows us the arrival of the first metro train at Berri-de Montigny, which in 1998 would become Berri-UQAM station.

Mayor Jean Drabo presides over the opening ceremony of the Montreal metro. For his part, Cardinal Paul-Emile Leger made sure to bless the metro train in front of the 6000 guests present.

Then the Montreal metro had three lines: orange, green and yellow, but it is much shorter than it is today.

One million passengers will be transported in this new form of public transport since its first week of operation.

Montreal metro or subway for men, October 14, 1966

What do Montreal residents think of their new metro?

on your own Montreal metro or subway for men On October 14, 1966, journalists Raymond Lebrun and Claude Jean Devereux collected first impressions of travelers.

Enormous, fast and convenient are the terms that appear most often to describe the newly opened Montreal Metro.

I took one from Paris, but this one is much nicerA passenger testifies.

We hardly hear anything , says another, compares the Montreal metro to the Toronto metro.

The Montreal metro is a source of pride for all the travelers we meet, especially since it saves them time.

We go down town and it takes about twelve minutes. It is almost unbelievable! A stunned young man says.

We’ve done the course three times and can’t even believe it!

Today is November 14, 1966

A month later, Montreal Metro users are getting more accurate, and this report shows us in the show Today On November 14, 1966.

Turnstiles, both narrow and steep, in particular require some familiarity.

Station signs would benefit from being more visible, although passengers asked can still orientate themselves easily.

If it wasn’t for the heat, it would be beautiful , One of the passengers is captured by journalist Pierre Beckett. An opinion shared by several other users they met confirmed that the stroller ventilation system seems problematic.

The arrival of the metro also did collateral damage: bus service is not what it used to be!

The Montreal Transportation Commission has cut many bus routes because it believes the metro can replace certain routes.

An overall view that creates an imbalance, believes that the employer who is no longer serving his office by the transport network.

Compared to a bus, the metro can accommodate more passengers.

130 million trips will be recorded during the first year of operation of the Montreal metro.

In addition to being manufactured in Quebec, the new metro cars have better ventilation and more pleasant lighting, journalist Nicole Laurier announced in the newscast. Tonight October 15, 1976.

The 10th anniversary of the Montreal Metro is an opportunity to take stock of its development and use.

Despite frequent accidents and other glitches in the service, metro users seem satisfied with their public transportation system, says the journalist.

The subway network has also led to the emergence of many shops and large complexes that facilitate the daily life of thousands of citizens.

Moreover, the development of the metro is not yet complete.

The first phase of the transport network for Expo 67, which was held on the islands of Saint Helen and Notre Dame, has been completed.

Second, the Green Line runs to the east of the island, following it at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Will there be an extension to the tracks currently in service? What happens to the third stage? We don’t know yet, says journalist Nicole Laurier at the conclusion of the 1976 report.

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