Montreal wouldn’t be Montreal without the Montreal Canadiens—and its Canadian and Quebec hockey icons. During hockey season, it’s impossible not to be aware of and escape the games and their results. Winners, losers, we love the Montreal Canadiens like we love ourselves.
And, of course, we want to communicate this love and devotion to them in the form of a message. The message is “Go Habs Go!” and it is displayed on the LCD strip at the front of STM buses.
In April 2024, the rallying cry disappeared from Montreal buses after a debate on the use of English on city buses. In March, it will be back—along with its French version, of course.
“Go Habs Go!” and “Allez! Canadiens Allez!”
The Montreal Canadiens hockey team was founded in 1904—it is the oldest team in the NHL (National Hockey League) and has won the Stanley Cup 24 times. The last time was in 1993.
This is a team with deep roots in Quebec and French Canada. “Habs,” the H in the C of the team logo, stands for “habitants”—the French-speaking people of Quebec.
In the spring of 2024, following an order from the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), the iconic rallying cry for the hockey team—Go Habs Go!—was removed from STM buses. The change was made during the summer, and it took a little time because the message had to be changed manually on each bus to the more French “Allez! Canadiens Allez!”
The problem raised at the OQLF was the word “Go.” Even though it’s a word used by all languages in the context of sports, it’s an Anglicism. For some, it wasn’t acceptable in Montreal where, as in all of Quebec, the French language must be displayed first in public spaces.
In June 2025, the OQLF reversed its decision, decreeing that the word “Go” could return to STM buses, but only in the winter—when bus maintenance is scheduled. That will be in March, and an icon of the Montreal landscape will return to the city after a saga that has gone around in circles.
Go Habs Go! Come on! Canadiens, come on!