Montreal Transit Agency Reintroduces Canadiens-Themed Signage and Player-Voiced Metro Announcements Following Language Regulation Clarification
Introduction
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has launched a new promotional initiative in collaboration with the Montreal Canadiens, featuring player-recorded station announcements and the reinstatement of the English phrase 'Go Habs Go' on bus destination signs. This development occurs approximately one year after the agency removed the same phrase from buses due to concerns over Quebec's language legislation.
Main Body
**Background and Previous Controversy** In the period between May 2024 and January 2025, the STM received correspondence from Quebec’s language watchdog, the Office québécois de la langue française, following a complaint about the use of the English word 'Go' on bus electronic signs. In response, the agency removed the phrase 'Go! Canadiens Go!' from its buses. Subsequently, after public outcry, the language regulator updated its online dictionary to state that the word 'go' is 'partially legitimized' in Quebec as a term of encouragement for sports teams, though it noted that the French equivalent 'allez' remains the preferred term. **Current Initiative: Player-Voiced Metro Announcements** The STM has recruited four members of the Montreal Canadiens—defenceman Lane Hutson, forwards Juraj Slafkovsky and Alexandre Texier, and goaltender Jakub Dobes—to record French-language station announcements for the Bonaventure and Lucien-L’Allier metro stops, which are adjacent to the team’s home arena, the Bell Centre. According to STM spokesperson Laurence Houde-Roy, this marks the first time the agency has replaced the standard automated station voice with recordings from specific individuals. The initiative was inspired by a social media video produced in partnership with the Canadiens, in which players delivered short French phrases in a metro setting. Houde-Roy stated that the positive reception to that video led the agency to propose the station-announcement recordings. The team selected the four players based on their availability; Houde-Roy noted that while the agency had sought Québécois players, scheduling constraints prevented their participation, though Texier is a native French speaker from France. Player Alexandre Texier described hearing his own voice on the metro as 'incredible' and suggested that the novelty might encourage ridership, given Montreal’s association with hockey. **Reinstatement of 'Go Habs Go' on Buses** Concurrently, the STM has resumed displaying 'Go Habs Go' on the digital destination signs of its buses. As of the reporting date, approximately 705 of the agency’s 1,838 buses (38%) have been updated with the message. Houde-Roy explained that the phrase must be manually entered into each bus’s circuit board, a process that is time-efficient but requires individual attention. The agency aims to have all buses capable of displaying the message by April 30. Houde-Roy characterized 'Go Habs Go' as a phrase deeply embedded in fan culture and widely used by the team itself. Some buses continue to show the French equivalent 'Allez les Canadiens'. **Partnership and Public Reception** The STM and the Canadiens have a long-standing partnership, with home games generating significant increases in transit ridership around the Bell Centre. Houde-Roy stated that the agency adjusts its service accordingly to accommodate the surge in passengers. The current promotional campaign is intended to channel the atmosphere of the Stanley Cup playoffs into daily commutes, according to Houde-Roy. Jean-François Dumas, president of the media analysis firm Influence Communication, offered an analytical perspective, asserting that the campaign leverages Montrealers’ strong emotional attachment to the Canadiens and the team’s integration into the city’s cultural identity. Houde-Roy reported that public response has been largely positive, with commuters sharing their reactions online and in media coverage. The special metro announcements will remain in place for the duration of the Canadiens’ playoff run, or, as Houde-Roy phrased it, 'until they win the Stanley Cup.'
Conclusion
The STM has implemented a dual promotional effort—player-voiced metro announcements and the return of 'Go Habs Go' on buses—following a period of regulatory uncertainty over English-language signage. The initiative reflects the agency’s ongoing partnership with the Montreal Canadiens and its adaptation to both linguistic regulations and fan culture. The temporary nature of the metro announcements ties the campaign directly to the team’s playoff performance.