Montreal unveils new Blue line Metro station names

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante unveiled the new names for the Montreal metro blue line stations.

The Montreal Metro’s Blue line is getting five new stations, each named to reflect and celebrate the city’s diversity.

The city released the station names on Tuesday: Vertières, Mary-Two-Axe-Earley, Césira-Parisotto, Madeleine-Parent and Anjou.

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) said this is the first time it is naming stations after people and events rather than geographic points.

The Blue line is slated to extend towards eastern Montreal at the intersections of Pie IX, Viau, Lacordaire, Langelier, and Galeries d’Anjou, spanning nearly six kilometres from its current terminal in Saint-Michel to the Anjou borough.

Work on the $7.6 billion project began last May. On top of the new stations, the extension will include two bus terminals, an underground pedestrian tunnel, and a mezzanine pedestrian link, set to open in 2031.

In 2020, the STM’s committee for the Blue line extension held public consultations and recommended that the station names highlight the contributions of ethnocultural communities, Indigenous peoples and women.

• READ MORE: Montreal metro map reimagined to honour prominent women

“The names selected reflect a desire to celebrate Montreal’s diversity, collective memory and shared values,” the city said in a news release.

Here’s the story behind each name:

Vertières Station

This station will be at the intersection of Jean-Talon Street East and Pie-IX Boulevard.

The name commemorates the 1803 battle that led to Haiti’s independence, and the city says it’s a nod to Saint-Michel’s vibrant Haitian community.

Mary Two-Axe-Earley Station

Located at the intersection of Jean-Talon Street East and Viau Boulevard, this station commemorates a leading figure in the fight for Indigenous women’s rights.

Mary Two-Axe-Earley (1911-1996) from Kahnawà:ke spearheaded a campaign in 1985 to amend the Indian Act for those, like herself, who lost their Indian status after marrying a non-Indigenous man.

Césira-Parisotto Station

The station at the intersection of Jean-Talon Street East and Lacordaire Boulevard in Saint-Leonard is named after a prominent figure in Quebec’s Italian community.

Césira Parisotto (1909-1992), also known as Mother Anselme, founded several institutions, including schools and the Marie-Clarac Hospital.

Madeleine-Parent Station

The station at the intersection of Jean-Talon Street East and Langelier Boulevard is named after a union leader and pioneer of Quebec’s feminist movement.

Madeleine Parent (1918-2012) was a founding member of both the Confederation of Canadian Unions and the National Action Committee on the Status of Women.

She dedicated her life to social justice and improving women’s living conditions.

Anjou Station

Located at the intersection of Highways 25 and 40, Anjou Station will be the Blue line’s new terminus.

It is the only station from the extension named after the borough it’s in to make it easier for users to find their way around.

The city says the name is reminiscent of the province of Anjou in France, “where many of Montreal’s founders originated.”