Pattison Outdoor has signed a deal to be the official outdoor advertising partner of Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM), one of the largest public transport projects in North America.

The REM has been under construction for seven years and aims to connect Montreal and its existing transit system with the rest of the Greater Montreal Area and its surrounding suburbs. When completed, the 67 km of light rail will be serviced by fully autonomous vehicles that will travel between 26 stations.

The first section of the REM is expected to begin operation on July 31, comprised of a five-stop line connecting the town of Brossard to Montreal Central Station downtown. The rest of the system will open in phases over the next four years.

Pattison will be providing local and national advertisers visibility with inventory throughout the REM. On the first section, Pattison operates 46 in-station digital screens and 24 posters, as well as a large video wall in Central Station.

“I am very excited to work with the REM and to realize the full potential of advertising on this historical new public transit system,” says Dominic Loporcaro, VP of GM of the Eastern Region at Pattison. “The REM will offer Quebec and national advertisers increased reach and frequency to outlying neighbourhoods thanks to our network of digital displays and place-based products.”

Pattison works with 39 public transit authorities across Canada, though its deal with REM is its first transit partnership in the Montreal area and a major factor in its expansion into Quebec in 2020.