Société de transport de Montréal Introduces Safety Ambassadors

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is now deploying safety ambassadors on its system. Drawing from similar initiatives in other major North American networks in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, the safety ambassadors are new field teams that provide customers with tailored guidance and support during their trips.

Identifiable by distinctive uniforms, safety ambassadors operate in groups of two, acting as a reassuring presence to customers, answering questions and providing guidance and information. Safety ambassadors are also trained to identify potentially dangerous situations and report them to security teams.

“In the face of social issues that are becoming increasingly prevalent on our network, STM’s strategy is to increase the visibility of staff and strengthen our ability to intervene,” said Éric Alan Caldwell, chair of the STM Board of Directors. “The creation of a new team of safety ambassadors is a first in the history of the Montréal métro, and these new, dedicated resources will meet a very specific need for our customers. We want to ensure that everyone can get the help they need to navigate the network better and feel safer. By adding safety ambassadors to our security teams and other security measures, we believe we can effectively address this need.”

The first group of six ambassadors is already out on the network. They can be found around station turnstiles, on platforms, and in métro trains. They have received 80 hours of specific training to prepare them for a variety of situations that they may be called upon to handle, including identifying safety issues and supporting major events.

In addition, STM has added 16 new special constables to the network since December 2023. And to better support people in vulnerable situations and address social coexistence issues within STM facilities, eight members of the Équipe mobile de médiation sociale team now respond directly to calls from the métro control room for situations specifically related to these social issues.