Pepper sprayings are on the rise in Montreal's Metro system

Passengers are wielding pepper spray more often in Montreal's Metro system, forcing the shutdown of Metro lines and the evacuation of trains and stations to allow for the emergency ventilation of the network.

In 2022, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) recorded at least 20 incidents where chemical irritants such as pepper spray were detected, two of which resulted in a police intervention.

That's up from four to six incidents a year between 2018 and 2021, based on numbers CBC News obtained through an access to information request.

So far in 2023, there have already been a few pepper spray incidents in the Metro — including one during the morning rush hour on Valentine's Day that brought several lines to a halt.

Data released by the STM omits details about what led to the incident, but the pepper spray appears to have been released by passengers, as STM special constables do not carry it.

When an inflammatory agent like pepper spray is released in someone's face or even in their vicinity, it causes the victim's eyes, nose and throat to burn and, in some cases, makes it difficult for them to breathe.

The STM says it has protocols to help clear the air of a sprayed irritant and ventilate the area quickly, but those steps involve interrupting service, said STM spokesperson Philippe Déry.

Metro tunnels are connected and share a ventilation system. To prevent the vapour cloud from spreading, the STM has no choice but to stop the trains until the underground network is aired out.

Last year, the average service disruption caused by the release of pepper spray-like substances was about 30 minutes, but after an interruption of that length, it can take several trainloads of passengers to get the system running normally again and get people on their way.

Patrick Makariak caught the tail end of a pepper spray incident last January at Berri-UQAM station — one of the Metro's main downtown hubs. He didn't see the person who released the substance, but the leftover residue in the air caused his eyes to burn for about 10 minutes.

"The STM — I will give them credit, they did very good in communicating, telling us to evacuate the station right away," said Makariak. He said the announcement was made in both French and English.

Makariak, who has a Youtube channel called Sky of the Universe in which he regularly posts transit videos, is familiar with the codes the STM uses in different emergency situations. He said he's heard the code for a pepper spray incident more often lately.

"I don't know if it's people that are doing it as a prank, or sometimes, from what I've heard, it's a conflict between people, and they use it as a weapon or self-defence," said Makariak. "But yeah, it's definitely becoming more of a problem."

"When they cut the service, it's a big chunk of the lines — sometimes the whole line. It's not just one station. Usually, it's a cascade effect," said Makariak.