Montreal STM bans workplace prayer under Bill 9
Montreal’s transit agency, Société de transport de Montréal (STM), will prohibit employees from praying on its premises starting September 1, 2026. This restriction is a result of Quebec’s recently enacted Bill 9, which increases secularism rules in public institutions. The STM has four rooms that were previously used for quiet activities, including prayer, but these will now only be available for meditation, relaxation, and yoga.
Signs have been posted to inform employees of the new rules, and supervisors are expected to address any violations. The new law, formally named the Act respecting the reinforcement of laicity in Quebec, prohibits prayer in public institutions and restricts collective prayer in public spaces, requiring authorization from the relevant municipality.
Muslim organizations and civil rights advocates have criticized the ban as discriminatory and interfering with religious freedom.
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