Every Montreal driver knows the sound: a thud, a jolt and a sinking feeling about the alignment. With the first freeze-thaw cycles on the way, Montreal potholes are about to multiply again, and the city is heading into winter after a record-breaking season of complaints. Here’s a practical guide to reporting them, what the city has done so far and what to know before you try to claim for damage.
How bad is it?
Last winter, the city received a record number of pothole reports, including more than 4,200 complaints in January 2026 alone, according to CityNews. On De Lorimier Avenue near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, one crater is big enough to sit in. Transportation planning lecturer Pierre Barrieau says the city faces a multi-decade deficit in road maintenance, and doesn’t have the budget or staff to fix cracks before they become potholes. Winter patches, he notes, can crumble quickly when temperatures swing above and below zero.
What the city has done
In May, Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada announced a new strategy after what officials called eight years of underinvestment in equipment: an extra $1 million for boroughs that had used up their budgets or received the most 311 complaints, $1 million for manual patching contracts and $125,000 targeted at Notre-Dame Street. At the time, crews were logging 10,000 to 12,000 potholes a week. Summer repair contracts were delayed, with work only starting Aug. 3, though the city says crews filled nearly 148,000 potholes between mid-April and July.
One Montrealer, Saad Tekiout, has even been filling potholes for free since April. The mayor has said that’s not his responsibility.
Why they keep coming back
The city lists four main causes: aging asphalt, heavy repeated traffic, temperature swings and water seeping under the pavement. Water gets into cracks, freezes and expands, then thaws and leaves a void that traffic breaks open. That’s why the worst stretch usually comes in late winter and early spring, and why fixing small cracks in the fall matters so much.
How to report Montreal potholes
The city says it repairs potholes year-round, with machines used from November to April and manual repairs as weather allows. According to its reporting page, you can:
- Call 311 (514-872-0311 from outside Montréal), Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and weekends and holidays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Report online with a photo and the location on a map.
- Use the 311 Montréal app, which lets you follow your request.
- Go in person to an Accès Montréal office.
Not sure if it counts? The city’s examples include a round hole in the pavement, a hole around a manhole, several cracks or holes close together, a hole that keeps reappearing in the same spot and holes in sidewalks.
If the pothole poses a danger or needs immediate action, call as soon as possible. Potholes on a highway or service road are the responsibility of Quebec’s transport ministry: dial 511.
Hit one? What to know about claims
You can file a claim with the city’s Bureau des réclamations, but the city is clear that its responsibility is not automatic, including for damage to tires and suspension caused by road conditions. An investigation determines whether the city is liable. The deadlines, per the city’s claims page:
- Material damage (like your car): file within 15 days of the incident.
- Bodily injury: within three years.
- Legal action: six months for material damage, three years for bodily injury.
Your claim should include your name, address, phone number and email, the date and exact location of the incident, and a description of the damage. You can add repair estimates and photos later, but submit the form first, since the clock starts on the day of the incident. Claims can be filed online or in person, and questions go to 514-872-2977.
Tips if you hit a pothole
- Pull over safely and check tires, rims and steering.
- Take photos of the pothole (with a landmark) and the damage right away.
- Note the exact address or intersection and time.
- Report the pothole to 311 so it gets fixed, even if you don’t claim.
Winter driving brings other deadlines too: don’t miss the Dec. 1 winter tire rule, and see what’s changing with the city’s snow-removal overhaul and private snow removal prices. More in our News section. Bonne route!
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Photo: Miguel Tremblay / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Sources: CityNews (Oct. 28), CityNews (May), CityNews (July), Ville de Montréal (reporting), Ville de Montréal (claims)
