Cracks in concrete found at Montreal's Place-des-Arts Metro station

One of the entrances at Montreal's Place-des-Arts Metro station is being closed to repair cracks in the concrete slab and beams.

In a news release Thursday, Montreal's public transit authority said the cracks were found near the Jeanne-Mance Street entrance, and an investigation revealed significant deterioration of the concrete, probably caused by de-icing salt and water over the years.

The closure is for an indefinite time period, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) says.

Ahmed El-Geneidy, a professor at McGill University's School of Urban Planning, said he's not surprised the cracks were found because the Metro network is getting old.

"The concrete is not designed to last forever. So we have to do maintenance. We have to do upgrades," he said.

In October of last year, three Metro stations on the Blue line — Fabre, d'Iberville and Saint-Michel — were closed for a similar reason.

An engineering team found that there was significant degradation of the main beams above the walkway at the Saint-Michel station.

A recent report on transport infrastructure found that the proportion of STM structures in a state of disrepair rose from 23 per cent to 39 per cent in 2025. And the Place-des-Arts station was given a failing grade, according to the STM.

"It's aging. We know it's aging," El-Geneidy said. "It's not something to hide."

The Place-des-Arts station is still open to riders while this maintenance is taking place. The STM says there is nothing for riders to worry about and users can access the services as normal.

"We will act quickly to carry out the necessary work, but this event reminds us of the importance of taking care of our infrastructure," said Éric Alan Caldwell, chair of the STM board, in a news release.

"The needs are urgent, and that is why we continue to request the necessary funds to maintain our assets in order to maintain a reliable and efficient Metro network."