The plans for the metro network have changed greatly since its inception. When the metro was first opened, some plans called for the opening of a spaghetti of 112 km of lines all over eastern Montreal Island. These plans have all been shelved.

After the moratorium on further metro construction in the mid-80s and the abandonment of the Bureau des transports métropolitains (BTM), metro development has been at a standstill and has not kept anything near pace with other cities, especially ones in Europe. (Madrid, for example, has constructed nearly 60 kilometres in the last two years - nearly the equal of our entire system.)

Two plans to serve Montréal-Nord, for example, were dropped: the one depicted on many metro maps in the early 90s, to build a line from metro Pie-IX to Rivière des Prairies; and another plan, to extend the blue line northeastward beyond Saint-Michel. There were to be five additional stations: Provencher, Robert, Couture, Amiens, and Amos. Although this never took place, it is nonetheless reflected in the track maps on the control panels at the Metro Control Centre. This very dense neighbourhood remains inadequately served by the metro.

Another project, to extend the Côte-Vertu end of the orange line to boul. De Salaberry, was given the go-ahead, but was shelved due to the moratorium.

For more information on past plans, please see the article on the evolution of the metro in the History section.

Names provisional only.	Under construction	Feasibility study completed
	Priority initiatives	Proposals

The STM, AMT, and Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) have approved a project to extend the Henri-Bourassa end of the orange line into Laval. Construction has begun, and the project is slated to be completed in January 2006.

The line will include three new stations on 5,2 km of track.

• Cartier station, situated at the corner of boul. Cartier ouest and boul. des Laurentides, will include a 525-place parking lot, a metropolitan bus terminal, and a taxi stand. See: Cartier
• De La Concorde station, situated at the corner of boul. de la Concorde and av. Ampère, will include a new intermodal station on the Montreal—Blainville commuter train line, a taxi stand, and parking for cars and bicycles. See: De La Concorde
• Montmorency station, the terminus, will be situated in front of CÉGEP Montmorency. It will include a bus terminal, a tail track and train garage, a 2 715-place parking lot, bicycle parking and a taxi stand. See: Montmorency.

Description of the Laval metro project (AMT, in French), including maps, station plans, and a newsletter.

Photos of the sites

On 16 April 2002, the AMT released the results of a technical feasibility study on the extension of the blue line east to Anjou. The study called for six new stations on 6,2 km, ending at a large intermodal terminus near the Anjou interchange. This extension would serve the boroughs of Anjou, Montréal-Nord, Rivière-des-Prairies, and Saint-Léonard, as well as the very congested boulevard Pie-IX and buses serving the east end, Laval, and the north shore. However, the borough of Anjou favours another plan which would put the terminus south of the Metropolitan Autoroute at Châteauneuf and Roi-René, in order to spur development in that area.

Another project being studied is the extension of the the yellow line to CÉGEP Édouard-Montpetit in Longueuil. The RTL's website has a description of this project. This, along with the rapid transit link to the south shore via the Champlain Bridge ice boom and light rail on Ave. du Parc and the east end, has been classed as a "priority initiative" by the MTQ, and is part of the AMT's seven-point plan for reducing traffic on the bridges to the South Shore.

For more information, please see the provincial Transport Ministry's greater Montreal area transportation management plan and the accompanying map (in PDF format).