The symbol of the Montreal metro, an enduring part of the city’s visual identity, marks its 60th anniversary Friday. It was presented to the city on Jan. 16, 1963.
Designed by Jacques Roy of Jacques Guillon et Associés, the simple logo features an arrow representing movement inside a circle representing the tunnel.
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The logo was originally intended for use on both the metro and Montreal Transportation Commission buses. But the idea was abandoned following advice from Georges Derou of Paris’s RATP.
The designers also hoped the symbol would stand alone, but city executives, at the request of Mayor Jean Drapeau, added the word MÉTRO — with its accent aigu.
When the network opened in 1966, the symbol appeared across all signage, in a variety of colours and pointing in multiple directions. Over time, its use has been standardized, and today the arrow is typically displayed on a blue background, pointing down, as a recognizable emblem of Montreal’s transit system.
