A major milestone for public transit in Montreal was achieved on May 19, 2026, as mass horizontal excavation officially commenced for the 4.6-kilometer extension of the metro's Blue Line toward Anjou.
Government officials and transit authorities gathered at the Vertières station site to launch the tunnel boring machine, named Lisette.
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The deployment of the specialized machinery marks the first time this rapid and sustainable excavation technology is being utilized within the Montreal metro network.
Operating as an underground factory, the machine simultaneously digs the tunnel, extracts 300,000 cubic meters of rock, and installs 14,300 concrete segments to form the structural walls.
According to the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), the machine will build 4.6 kilometers of the total 6-kilometer tunnel extension.
The extracted rock will be transported to the nearby Saint-Michel quarry for reuse by the City of Montreal, and the machine is scheduled to emerge at the future Anjou station west access in 2028.
Following a public vote held in March, the tunnel boring machine was named Lisette to honor Lisette St Onge, who became the first female Montreal metro operator in 1981.
The public selected her from five Quebec women who made significant contributions to engineering, sustainable development, or public transit.
Benoit Charette, Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, said: "The commissioning of the tunnel boring machine marks a historic moment for mobility in eastern Montreal.
Public transit is a priority for our government, and our investment in this project is a concrete example.
We are supporting the quality of life and mobility of Montrealers."
The expansion aims to resolve long-standing transit demands for residents in the eastern sector of the city.
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Officials emphasized that the project will accelerate regional connectivity and improve overall daily commutes.
Chantal Rouleau, Minister responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action, and Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region, said: "In recent years, things have accelerated, and the Blue Line extension has truly moved to another level.
Today, the start of the tunnel boring machine concretizes a crucial step in a project that has been awaited for too long.
Our government delivers projects that concretely improve mobility, quality of life, and development in eastern Montreal."
The transit infrastructure is also expected to significantly alter the surrounding urban landscape. Plans are underway to integrate residential developments alongside the new transit hubs.
Karine Boivin Roy, Minister responsible for Housing, said: "In addition to redefining mobility in the east of the city, the Blue Line extension will also stimulate densified residential development around the five future stations.
I am particularly pleased that several thousand new mixed housing units will be built in the coming years.
Ultimately, this new urban environment will offer a greener and more accessible living environment."
The execution of the massive transit infrastructure project relies heavily on inter-agency cooperation. Specialized public infrastructure teams are overseeing the technical delivery of the expansion.
Eric Girard, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for Infrastructure, said: "This project is the result of close collaboration with the Société québécoise des infrastructures, whose support and expertise contribute to delivering projects that meet the expectations of Quebec taxpayers.
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The start of the Lisette tunnel boring machine marks a decisive step for the Blue Line extension, which will sustainably improve mobility in eastern Montreal."
