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Service resumes on Montreal commuter train lines after rail stoppage disruptions

Click to play video: 'Canada’s railway labour disruption could be sign of more unrest to come'
Canada’s railway labour disruption could be sign of more unrest to come
After four days, the unprecedented service disruption at both Canadian rail lines will come to an end Monday. However, experts warn that arbitration can put in place an arrangement for a few years, but that it may not lead to a long-term resolution. Big technological changes, such as automation, have had big impacts across Canada's transportation industry, leading to labour unrest across the sector. This week's disruption on the train lines may be just the latest in a series of disruptions yet to come. Heather Yourex-West has more. – Aug 25, 2024

Greater Montreal riders returned to their regular commute Monday as service resumed on the Exo transit system following an end to the work stoppage by Canada’s two major railways.

Exo spokeswoman Catherine Maurice said that service on its Candiac, St-Jérôme and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines returned to their regular schedule after coming to an abrupt halt Thursday morning and catching many commuters by surprise.

Maurice said in an email Monday the transit organization is satisfied with the resumption of service.

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She said bus shuttle service would continue Monday in order to handle “any issues that may arise” for the routes’ 21,000 daily riders.

Maurice said Exo expects congestion on the tracks amid the operations ramp-up by Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the coming days, depending on the priority given to passenger trains.

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Select commuter lines in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver came to a standstill last week after the rail companies locked out 9,300 employees, including Canadian Pacific dispatchers who direct traffic on tracks owned by that company but used by commuter trains.

On Saturday, the federal labour board ordered railways to resume operations and employees to go back on the job starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday morning ahead of binding arbitration, which will aim to resolve a labour impasse that led to the shutdown.

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