for the men's road team time trial cycling race.In 1997, the highway (apart from the portion served by the Metropolitan Autoroute) was renamed Autoroute Félix-Leclerc after the late Quebec artist and political activist Félix Leclerc.

Prior to 1997, Autoroute 40 east of Montreal had four different names, the first section was named Autoroute de la Rive-Nord (North Shore Autoroute) between Montréal and Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures