Coroner urges action to prevent suicides in Montreal metro

The Quebec coroner recommends more supervision, messaging promoting mental health and other suggestions to reduce suicides in Montreal metros.

The Quebec coroner’s office has released joint recommendations aimed at preventing suicides in Montreal’s metro stations.

The recommendations are part of four separate coroner reports that investigated four deaths that occurred in distinct incidents in the metro system.

According to the coroner, four men died from multiple traumas following collisions with a moving metro car.

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“The actions were intentional and occurred in a variety of contexts, including psychological distress, depression, and loss of autonomy,” the coroner’s office said in a press release.

“The circumstances surrounding these deaths raise questions about suicide prevention in the Montreal metro, including the restriction of access to the rails, the rapid detection of risky behaviours, and the presence of trained suicide prevention workers.”

Other recommendations to the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) include enhancing surveillance capabilities through more efficient technological and video monitoring systems, and multiplying and diversifying messages that promote mental health and encourage people to seek help and use suicide prevention services.

In a written statement to CTV News, the STM said it has taken note of the recommendations and will review them.

The transit agency said it has already implemented several suicide prevention measures, including training STM employees on suicide awareness and deploying a detection system that allows train operators to see the next station before entering it. Operators can then reduce speed if they detect any warning signs.