On Thursday, the Government of Quebec announced that Highway 50 is getting a new name.
Going forward, the 159-kilometre stretch of road will be known as “Autoroute Guy-Lafleur” in honour of the Montreal Canadiens legend.
Highway 50 will now be named Autoroute Guy-Lafleur in honor of the Canadiens' legend.#GuyGuyGuyhttps://t.co/edeF4k3ZVO
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 4, 2023
A ceremony led by Quebec Premier François Legault and Minister of Culture and Communications Mathie Lacombe was held in Lafleur’s hometown of Thurso, Quebec, on Thursday morning next to a statue of the hockey icon.
Among those in attendance for the occasion were Lafleur’s mother Pierrette; sisters Suzanne, Gisèle, Lise and Lucie; wife Lise; and two sons Martin and Mark.
“[Lafleur] was an exceptional player and man, close to the world and to his origins, here in Thurso,” Legault wrote on Twitter. “Thanks Guy!”
À Thurso aujourd'hui avec le ministre @lacombemathieu pour annoncer le nouveau nom de l’autoroute 50 : l’autoroute Guy-Lafleur! C'était un joueur et un homme exceptionnel, proche du monde et de ses origines, ici à Thurso.
Je pense qu’on lui devait cet honneur.
Merci Guy! pic.twitter.com/lYLgY5AFcU— François Legault (@francoislegault) May 4, 2023
According to a Canadiens press release, the announcement was received with warm applause and chants of “Guy! Guy! Guy!”
Legault originally proposed renaming the highway in honour of the player when Lafleur passed away at the age of 70 last April.
Lafleur, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and appointed to the Order of Canada in 1980, won five Stanley Cups with the Habs during his 14-year tenure (1971 to 1985) in Montreal.
Nicknamed “the Flower,” Lafleur is still the Canadiens’ all-time points and assists leader with 728 assists and 1,246 points.
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