Montreal's transit agency, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), announced that the beloved slogan 'Go Habs Go!' will be restored to some city buses next month. This decision comes after the Office québécois de la langue française, which previously pressured the agency to remove the English term 'go' for supporting the NHL team Montreal Canadiens, reversed its stance due to significant public backlash. The French-language minister of the province recognized 'Go Habs Go' as an integral part of Quebec's culture, contributing to this policy shift.

Last year, the controversy ignited heated discussions about language and cultural identity in Quebec, leading to the removal of the slogan from bus displays in favor of French-only alternatives. The backlash from the public, who view the phrase as a cherished expression of local sports culture, prompted the language watchdog to reconsider its position. The STM explained that the delay in reinstating the slogans stemmed from the fact that updates had to be applied individually to each bus during their maintenance schedules.

As of March, the STM confirms that some buses will once again display the English slogan while others will continue to use the French version 'allez.' The agency has stated that the decision regarding which slogan to use was made after consulting with various stakeholders, ensuring a balance between linguistic harmonization and cultural representation in Quebec.