Experts: Violence on public transit

Incidents of violence in public transit systems are on the rise across Canada, according to a collaborative report from CBC and the Investigative Journalism Foundation. The report says that between 2016–2024, transit systems in eight of the country’s 10 largest cities have seen the number of assaults double. Rates have tripled in Winnipeg. The highest number of assaults took place in Toronto.

McGill experts are available to comment on this topic:

Pearl Eliadis is an Associate Professor (professional) at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and Full Member at the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism at the McGill Faculty of Law. She is also a practising lawyer specializing in human rights. Eliadis can discuss the role that human rights law, equality, law and legal rights play in law enforcement, including in transit systems.

pearl.eliadis [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)

Jayne Malenfant is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Integrated Studies in Education. They can discuss how policies and policing regarding homelessness are changing in public transit spaces, including Montreal's policies in the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). They can also comment on the role of public transit spaces and workers in addressing increased homelessness in our cities.

jayne.malenfant [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)

Ahmed El-Geneidy is a Professor at the School of Urban Planning, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Public Transport Planning and Operation and the Transportation Research Group at McGill (TRAM). His areas of expertise include transport planning and operations, transit accessibility and the effects of transport infrastructure on travel behaviour. His team has produced research on the topic of crime in transit systems.

ahmed.elgeneidy [at] mcgill.ca (English, Arabic)