Montreal family faces eviction for subway project despite community support

In Montreal, the Ly family has lived in a duplex for over 40 years in the Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie borough. After being approached about a subway ventilation project six years ago, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has begun the expropriation process of their home to build a necessary facility. The family, consisting of Trivi Ly, his sister, and their elderly parents, is distressed about the loss of their home, which their parents purchased in 1984. They were offered $696,000 for the property, but after an inspection, the offer was reduced to $596,000. The family has struggled to find a suitable alternative in the same neighborhood at that price point. Despite assurances from STM that the expropriation follows Quebec's public transit law, the Ly family and supportive neighbors believe there are better-suited locations for the ventilation station nearby. The community has rallied, gathering nearly 2,900 signatures on a petition to stop the expropriation. Even though the STM reviewed multiple potential sites for the station, community members argue that their chosen site isn't the only option and hope to save the family from relocation. The work on the ventilation project is projected to begin in fall 2026, leaving the Ly family in a precarious situation during this transition period. As the STM currently considers alternative plots owned by Quebec's infrastructure arm, they acknowledge that the compensation is provisional and the family may be deserving of more as the process unfolds.