Graffiti is a problem which results in serious damage to metro stations and drains huge sums of money into its cleanup.

The STM did a study in March 1999 to analyze the scale of the problem revealed the hardest-hit stations, locations, time periods, days of the week, etc.

In metro stations alone, graffiti covered 8 827 m² at the time of the study - the size of two football fields! This is not even counting tunnels, trains, buses, etc. With regard to the technique, markers and spray paint were the most used (6 976 m²) but "scratchiti ¹" (1 848 m²) appeared to be on the increase..

This vandalism costs the STM a great deal of money. In the best-case scenario, it costs about $50 per square foot (about $540 per square metre), but it can cost up to $470/sq.ft. (about $5000 per square metre) for the toughest marks. At the time of the study, then, the costs of graffiti removal were conservatively estimated at $5-million for the metro stations alone.

Any person found vandalizing STM property will face criminal prosecution, in addition to being subject to a fine for violating bylaw R-036. The vandal, or his or her parents in the case of a minor, will have to pay for the graffiti to be removed.

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Note

1- Scratchiti: A graffiti made by scratching a surface