Western Quebec newspaper changes policy to help Google Maps users

Google has been blamed for many things, but this might be a first.

The Low Down To Hull & Back News covers events in the Gatineau Hills for an anglophone audience.

As an English newspaper, its naming policy has followed the parlance of its readers — for example, Douglas Road instead of chemin Douglas and Valley Road instead of chemin de la Vallée de Wakefield.

But that's all changing.

The paper will now use official French street names throughout.

Editor Nikki Mantell said the reason for the change has nothing to do with linguistic ideology and everything to do with people getting lost.

"It was a choice between using English language terms in an English language paper, versus clarity of information," Mantell told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning.

Google Maps displays road names in Quebec in French, despite what locals may prefer.

It became a particular problem for people who are not familiar with the area.

"We'd say 'Go out and find this address on Douglas Road,' and of course [our reporter was] typing it into Google Maps … and it doesn't exist."

Mantell said she is annoyed they have had to change their policy because of Google, but pointed out it's not the first issue with street signs in the area.

The provincial ministry refused to put Wakefield — which is technically part of the muncipality of La Pêche — on a sign on the extension of Highway 5 that opened in 2014.

As a compromise the road that turns off of the highway was changed from "Valley Road" to "Chemin de la Vallée de Wakefield" so drivers would know it was the turn to Wakefield.

But locals still tend to call it by its old name.

Silver lining

Mantell acknowledged consistency is a silver lining to their decision to switch to French terms.

The paper would use French names for locations where the French name was more commonly used, such as Lac Bernard as opposed to Bernard Lake.

"We were writing the words 'on Meech Lake' or 'on Meech Lake Road' and we'd switch in the next sentence to 'Lac Phillipe,'" Mantell said.

In the end, Mantell said at least she can get a chuckle out of hearing Google mess up place names regardless of the language.