'Griffintown-Bernard Landry' station runs afoul of REM's naming guidelines

Mayor Valerie Plante's choice for a name for the future light-rail station in Griffintown is at odds with Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) naming guidelines.

An access to information request revealed that the REM has clear criteria for their light-rail stations. All new stations should be named according to street names or the city where the stations are built. 

The request also revealed that the city's department of urban planning is in agreement with the REM's naming process.

The records included correspondences from May and June of 2019 between Lucie Careau, Montreal's director of urban planning, and André Dufour, the REM's director general. In them, Careau notes that the station that will be built near Peel Basin in Griffintown should be named according to the same conventions as all new stations.                               

Members of the Irish community were surprised and critical when Plante proposed on Twitter last November that the station be named after former Premier Bernard Landry. They say the name disregards the Irish, working class history of the neighbourhood.

Plante stood by her decision last December, saying that the name would honour the former premier's contribution to the development of Griffintown's multimedia district.

A spokesperson for the REM told CJAD 800 that they would be making an announcement for the station's name and exact location shortly.

Alexander Montagano, who has family roots in Griffintown, is the concerned citizen who filed the request.