In the early hours of December 4th last year, a young man, aged 18, who was struggling with his mental health, tragically jumped in front of a moving Metro train at Villa-Maria station.
Months before the incident, the teenager had visited a health center after expressing suicidal thoughts to his friends. He later admitted that he had made those statements impulsively following arguments with loved ones and a breakup.
After the evaluation at the health center, he was supposed to stay with a close acquaintance. However, in the early morning around 1 a.m., he was alone on the Metro platform when he made the fateful decision to run towards the approaching train. Despite the operator’s efforts, the collision could not be avoided.
Following his death, several farewell letters addressed to his loved ones were discovered in his room.
This young man’s case is part of a series of four reports recently released by the Quebec coroner’s office, shedding light on suicides in the Montreal Metro in 2024 and presenting joint recommendations to the city’s transit authority to prevent such incidents.
Julie-Kim Godin, one of the four coroners involved in the investigations, expressed concern over the alarming number of suicides in the Metro. The coroner’s office recorded a total of 92 suicides in the Montreal Metro system between 2015 and 2023, averaging about 10 per year. The number of annual suicide attempts increased from 14-18 between 2020 and 2023 to 25 in 2024, as reported by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).
Godin emphasized the need for more preventive measures in the Metro to address this issue. Among the recommendations proposed by the coroners is an expedited study on installing platform screen doors similar to those in the province’s new light-rail system (Réseau express métropolitain).
The coroners also suggested the presence of safety ambassadors at all stations, increased staff on platforms to identify distressed individuals, and enhanced training for employees.
The STM stated that they would carefully review the coroners’ recommendations and highlighted existing suicide prevention measures, including a detection system monitoring platform activity and staff training in suicide prevention.
While acknowledging financial constraints, Godin stressed the importance of considering platform screen doors as an investment in public safety rather than just a cost.
Ella Amir, the executive director of AMI-Quebec, emphasized the need for early suicide prevention efforts, urging for increased accessibility and availability of mental health services and community support to assist individuals in distress.
Additionally, a project utilizing artificial intelligence to detect potential suicide attempts in the Montreal Metro is underway, aiming to deploy the technology network-wide within the next one to two years.
For those in need of help or support, various crisis helplines and resources are available for immediate assistance.