Mes alertes 
The names of the five future stations finally revealed
The five names selected reflect a desire to celebrate the diversity, collective memory and shared values of Montreal and its métro system.
Breaking with the tradition of naming stations after adjacent roads, the names of the future stations on the Blue Line honour communities that have shaped the city’s history, while highlighting the decisive contribution of certain women to Quebec’s social, cultural and economic development.
Pie-IX Station becomes Vertières
The name Vertières refers to the site of a decisive battle in the fight for Haitian independence. Following the Battle of Vertières, Haiti became the world’s first black republic in 1804. Naming the métro station at the corner of Jean-Talon and Pie-IX Vertières highlights the presence of the Haitian community in the Saint-Michel and Montréal-Nord neighbourhoods.
Listen to the métro voice pronounce the name Vertières
Viau Station becomes Mary-Two-Axe-Earley
Born in Kahnawake in 1911, Mary Two-Axe Earley was a Mohawk activist who actively fought for the recognition of the rights of Indigenous women and children. Her relentless efforts led to changes in the law that ended discrimination against women married to non-Indigenous men. Naming the métro station at the corner of Jean-Talon and Viau Mary-Two-Axe Earley recognizes the legacy of this inspiring pioneer.
Listen to the métro voice pronounce the name Mary-Two-Axe-Earley
Lacordaire Station becomes Césira-Parisotto
Born in Italy in 1909, Césira Parisotto, also known as Mother Anselme, dedicated her life to charitable work within the Sisters of Charity of Saint Mary community. She founded several institutions, including École Marie-Clarac and Hôpital Marie-Clarac. Naming the métro station at the corner of Jean-Talon and Lacordaire Césira-Parisotto highlights the presence of the Italian community in the Saint-Léonard borough.
Listen to the métro voice pronounce Césira-Parisotto
Langelier Station becomes Madeleine-Parent
Born in 1918, activist and trade unionist Madeleine Parent stood out for her social commitment and deep convictions. She dedicated her career to improving the living conditions of women of all cultural backgrounds, including Indigenous and immigrant women. She passionately defended pay equity and fought for the rights of those most disadvantaged. Naming the métro station at the corner of Jean-Talon and Langelier Madeleine-Parent highlights the important legacy of this leading figure in the feminist movement.
Listen to the métro voice pronounce the name Madeleine-Parent
The terminal station is called Anjou
The name Anjou refers, of course, to the borough of the same name. From 1956 to 2002, before the Quebec municipal reorganizations, Anjou was also a municipality. The place name Anjou refers to a former province of France where a significant number of pioneers of New France came from. The terminal station of the Blue Line extension was named Anjou to make it easier for passengers to find their way around geographically.
Listen to the métro voice pronounce the name Anjou
The decision-making process for the names of our five future stations was complex and rigorous.
A toponymy committee was set up several years ago. The committee identified the guidelines for selecting the names and discussed multiple proposals. It was made up of representatives from the STM, municipal officials, borough representatives, specialists in history, toponymy and urban planning, as well as representatives from cultural groups (Conseil interculturel de Montréal, Conseil des Montréalaises and Terres en vue).
The selection criteria and the diversity of representatives involved reflect the recommendations made by the Commissioners during the public consultation held in winter 2020. Accordingly, the committee decided to give significant prominence to women and ensured that multicultural and Indigenous realities were highlighted.
Numerous suggestions from the general public were submitted to the committee, while the City of Montreal’s Toponym’Elles name bank was also consulted. The process also required consultations with the Commission de toponymie, the City of Montreal and other project partners. Lastly, we consulted the families and friends of the selected individuals before making the names public.
Six main principles guided the selection of the names of the new stations:
- Maintain existing network names: to avoid additional costs, the names Pie-IX, Viau and Langelier were kept on the Green Line.
- Avoid confusion for passengers: Already present on the Green Line, the names Pie-IX, Viau and Langelier were not repeated on the Blue Line.
- Choose evocative names: Instead of using names that already exist near the new stations, it was deemed preferable to select new, more evocative names.
- Avoid problematic names: Names of living people or those deceased less than a year ago, people whose notoriety is linked to personal tragedies or likely to cause controversy, and names of a commercial nature were excluded.
- Sound out the community: Proposals submitted to the STM and during the public consultation on the extension were forwarded to the members of the toponymy committee, who also sounded out their local communities.
- Draw inspiration from Montreal’s diversity: The final names were inspired by the contributions of local ethnocultural communities, the history of the host neighbourhoods, Montreal and Quebec, Indigenous peoples and women.
The blue line extension project follows in the wake of the Déclaration du gouvernement du Québec et de la Ville de Montréal to revitalize Montréal East. Many projects are underway to give a new impetus to this sector. Increased mobility, economic development, and improved living environments are at the heart of this ambitious project. For more information, see Québec.ca/RevitalisationEstMontreal(in French only).