The municipality of Asbestos, Quebec, voted to change its name to Val-des-Sources following a ranked-choice referendum [1, 3].
The decision marks a strategic effort to shed the negative associations linked to the carcinogenic mineral for which the town was named. By rebranding, local leaders aim to promote a new identity that reflects the town's mining heritage while attracting future investment.
Mayor Hugues Grimard said the result on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 [1, 2]. The change follows a public process where residents selected from six different name options [3]. Val-des-Sources emerged as the winner with 55% of the vote [2].
Approximately 50% of the town's residents participated in the vote [2]. The municipality is located in the Estrie region of Quebec, where the asbestos industry once served as the primary economic driver.
"We are living in a truly historic moment," Grimard said [2].
"C’est un moment historique," Grimard said [4].
The rebranding process was designed to move the community past the health crises and environmental stigmas associated with asbestos mining. The new name, which translates to Valley of the Springs, focuses on the natural geography of the region rather than its industrial past.
“"We are living in a truly historic moment."”
This name change represents a broader global trend of municipalities distancing themselves from industrial legacies that have become synonymous with public health hazards. By shifting from a mineral-based identity to a nature-based one, Val-des-Sources is attempting to pivot its economic brand to attract tourism and new business that would otherwise be deterred by the stigma of asbestos.
