Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough demands REM noise-mitigation measures before it's operational

José Alberto Nerio lives in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough, and he says his house is well insulated against the noise outside.

But with the city's incoming light-rail network being built next door, he'd like reassurance that the noise won't be an issue once the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) is up and running.

"We just have to be conscious of what the effect is going to be," said Nerio, citing concerns coming out of neighbourhoods like Griffintown, where the REM is operational and is drawing noise complaints.

Still, he said, there's no reason to cry wolf before making tests and verifying that the noise won't be disturbing for the surrounding homes.

Nerio, who is no stranger to riding commuter rails, said the REM cars passing every few minutes may be an issue and a sound barrier may be needed.

Saint-Laurent's borough council adopted a motion Monday evening, asking CDPQ Infra, the subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec that is building the REM, to implement measures to reduce the noise pollution that will be generated by the trains.

The borough first voiced its concerns about noise and quality of life to CDPQ Infra back in 2020, according to Saint-Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa.

The REM is still under construction in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent. Five stations will be located in Saint-Laurent and Ahuntsic-Cartierville. (John Ngala/CBC)

CDPQ Infra committed in December 2020 to taking all the necessary measures to comply with regulatory standards and to preserve the sound environment for local residents, the borough says in a news release.

However, since this exchange, the extent of the noise barrier presented in October 2020 has been reduced and CDPQ Infra, the release says, has made no other adjustments.

In addition, nearly three years later, no presentation or information has been shared with the borough council for the other sections of the REM located in the borough, the release says.

With noise complaints emerging from residents along the operational REM tracks between Brossard and downtown Montreal, those concerns have heightened, particularly for those in the borough who live adjacent to the new rail line, DeSousa said.

CDPQ Infra needs to respond quickly because the borough doesn't want to wait until the REM is up and running to discover the noise issues have not been resolved, he said.

"We do believe that the REM is a good thing, but we also know that the REM will have impacts on people's neighbourhoods and their day-by-day quality of life," said DeSousa.

"That's why we want to do our best to protect that."

There will be five REM stations in Saint-Laurent. Three will be located in residential areas and nearly 5.5 kilometres of the REM route will run alongside residential neighbourhoods.

The borough is asking for measures such as the extension of an acoustic wall and increased vegetation on the noise barrier. It also wants the REM to plan, as soon as possible, a presentation to residents focused on the sections located beyond the Ruisseau station.

Emmanuelle Rouillard-Moreau, a spokesperson for CDPQ Infra, says the company is sensitive to the situation of local residents and takes the issue of REM noise seriously.

During the REM design phase, noise modelling was carried out and then presented in 2021. The noise barrier planned for Saint-Laurent has not changed since 2020, she said.

"In the event of significant impacts, mitigation measures were developed and presented during the same period," she said in an email.

"Finally, we will follow up on this issue and implement a noise monitoring program as part of REM's operational phase."