Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré | Are we changing our name, yes or no?

Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré wants to emerge from the shadow of its famous neighbor Mont-Tremblant. Residents are ready to do anything, even to change the name of the municipality to… Mont-Blanc. Like the high summit of the Alps. But above all, like the local ski resort. Great marketing plan? Or a waste of time and money? The municipality of the Laurentians will hold a referendum on November 7 to decide the issue. In the field, opinions are divided.

“I would like the name to stay the same. It seems to me that there would be better things to do with our money, ”says Cindy Lirette. The resident of Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré walks her dog Luna in front of the Saint-Faustin church, on the lawn lined with dead leaves. Behind it, mature trees and small houses with country-style storefronts for which this corner of the Laurentians is famous for lovers of the outdoors.

See his hometown become Mont-Blanc? Nothing more than a vulgar marketing stunt to attract people from the metropolis. “Looks like they want to do this to get more tourists. It’s a bit absurd, this big change that we are making for others ”, continues Mr.^me Lirette.

The name of a municipality is a witness to history and serves to preserve the municipal heritage and local culture, argues Normand Diotte, author of a memoir in favor of maintaining toponymy entitled “My roots, my pride”. For Mr. Diotte, who presents his candidacy as councilor in the elections of November 7, the municipal council “denies our history, it persists, it shows arrogance and contempt for the population, it rejects the opinion of the citizens, its aim being obviously to kill our identity. All this to be more modern, sexier, more stylish ”.

Diane Lachaine, an involved citizen and former municipal councilor, for her part, sees this possible change favorably. About thirty lakes surround her city, she explains.

She is also worried about the outcome of the referendum held at the same time as the municipal elections. “Several people will be elected by acclamation, so that won’t encourage people to come around,” she said with a sigh.

The majority of vacationers agree with the new name. They could vote, but the process to register is giving them a hard time, adds Mr.^me Chain.

A debate that persists

The name of the place has been the subject of debate since the municipal mergers some twenty years ago. “There was a sort of quarrel between the people of Saint-Faustin and those of Lac-Carré. When we merged, it couldn’t just be called Saint-Faustin, because that didn’t suit Lac-Carré. And vice versa, ”recalls Diane Lachaine. “I would like us to turn the page on this story. In addition, I find it long, Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré. ”

The new name with European sounds will revive the economy of the city where she has lived for more than 40 years, says Carmelle Bénard, with a touch of humor. “It’s a change. It’s going to be like a rebirth. The mountain is the main attraction. We must be proud of our mountains in the Laurentians. ”

What makes her a little less stomping with joy? “The change of address. But hey, we deal with… ”

“Wind of change”

The idea of ​​swapping Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré for Mont-Blanc arose in 2015, when a committee made up of residents, entrepreneurs and merchants who wanted to reposition the image of this resort hired the Urbacom consultation.

The purpose of a name change? “Bringing a wind of change. Bring investors to come and settle. To restart the development of our beautiful city ”, enumerates Jean-Simon Levert, deputy mayor and candidate for mayor of Saint-Faustin– Lac-Carré.

The think tank chose Mont-Blanc. The mountain is part of the DNA of the locals.

Mont Blanc, where a ski center is located, is an undeniable landmark for tourists and people from outside.

Mr. Levert remains very clear: the new name refers to the mountain, not to the ski resort. This is not about advertising a recently sold business.

“We are referring to nature here. Moreover, I do not know the new investors and I do not know if they will keep this name ”, specifies the mayor, former municipal councilor of Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré.

This migration to a new identity does not come with a huge cost for the population, assures Mr. Levert. The expenses related to the name change are estimated at $ 50,000, an amount already set aside by the municipality.

Address changes apprehended by some residents will be done automatically with Canada Post, he says.

“As mayor, I have no opinion. I am awaiting the result of the referendum. If the citizens do not want the new name, we will just turn the page. “

Traces of history threatened, according to an expert

Would the transformation of Saint-Faustin– Lac-Carré into Mont-Blanc be enough to make the municipality better known? The city has embarked on a real obstacle course that risks making it forget part of its history, says an expert.

“Changing a toponym is always a bit of a shame, because there is still a story [associée au nom] », Estimates Gérard Beaudet, professor of town planning at the University of Montreal. The parish of Saint-Faustin was erected in 1978, according to the Commission de toponymie du Québec. Lac-Carré, a small adjacent village, got its name in 1946. It takes it from a compressed diamond-shaped lake.

And lakes, there are some in this region known for its basins and mountains. One of them – Mont Blanc – hosts a ski resort.

“Like many others in the Laurentians, the municipality is in the shadow of Tremblant, to the north, and Saint-Sauveur, to the south, analyzes Gérard Beaudet. But you have to be really optimistic to think that just a name change can really change the dynamics of what has been going on for many years, ”he said.

Costly changes

The outgoing mayor of Saint-Faustin – Lac-Carré estimates the budget associated with the new vision and the name change at $ 50,000. However, this is an approach that can prove to be quite expensive for the municipality, thinks Gérard Beaudet. First, the procedures are long, since the Commission de toponymie must give its approval to the project. Once the name change has taken place, all regional and tourist entities must also change their documentation.

Where the pack can hurt is in the resistance of the population to adapt to the new identity. The municipal mergers of the 2000s were difficult to swallow for some, recalls Gérard Beaudet. “The people of Chicoutimi did not appreciate the disappearance of the name at all,” he cites as an example. Citizens are attached to the name of their city. These name changes are not easily done, ”summarizes the town planner.

These cities that have had a makeover

Cities in Quebec have however succeeded in carrying out this toponymic metamorphosis. The most recent example is that of Asbestos, in the Eastern Townships, which became Val-des-Sources at the turn of 2021. “In the case of Asbestos, we can always understand, says Gérard Beaudet. Since it’s ‘asbestos’ in English, and since it’s a resource that gets a lot of bad press, people decided that they no longer wanted to carry the name that made the city so rich, but also sped up. its decline, ”he explains.

Changing the name of places can be tempting to erase part of its history or give it a more modern connotation, but it is not always necessary, believes Gérard Beaudet. “In Thetford Mines, obviously, we did not feel the need to change the name because there is not such an explicit association with the resource. [l’amiante] He remarks.