The mayor of Montreal has backed away from his unpopular plan to rename Parc Avenue after former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa.

Gérald Tremblay called a press conference in Montreal Tuesday afternoon to explain his change of heart.

"After discussing with the family, and with my caucus' support, the executive committee will recommend to the municipal council to withdraw the project [to rename] Parc Avenue and Bleury Street," Tremblay said in a terse statement.

"My intention, as well as that of the caucus and the family and friends of Mr. Bourassa, was solely to honour his memory, and never to generate controversy."

Tremblay said the Bourassa family was concerned about the public's reaction to the new name proposal. "Mr. Bourassa would not have appreciated [it], and the family does not want controversy to honour [him]."

The city's initial plan to rename Parc Avenue sparked large street protests and fuelled several online petitions, which collected more than 30,000 signatures.

The street in question is a major north-south thoroughfare that starts in downtown Montreal, brushes the eastern edge of Mont Royal Park and runs into the multicultural Parc-Extension neighbourhood.

Montreal's Heritage Committee will be asked to review alternate ways to honour Robert Bourassa.

Tremblay was a cabinet minister under Bourassa, who served as Quebec's Liberal premier twice — from 1970 to 1976, and from 1985 to 1994.

Bourassa died of skin cancer in 1996.