La Tuque, Quebec
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Distinguish". Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Template:Use Canadian English Script error: No such module "Settlement short description".Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Expression error: Unexpected < operator.
La Tuque (Template:IPAc-en Script error: No such module "Respell"., Script error: No such module "IPA"., Script error: No such module "IPA".) is a city located in north-central Quebec, Canada, on the Saint-Maurice River, between Trois-Rivières and Chambord. The population was 11,129 at the 2021 Canadian census, most of which live within the urban area. At over Script error: No such module "convert"., it is the largest city in Canada by area.[1]
The Script error: No such module "Lang". canoeing race begins at La Tuque.
The name, which dates to the eighteenth century, originates from a nearby rock formation which resembles a French-Canadian knitted cap known as the tuque.
In 1823–24, the explorer François Verreault described the location as:
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />
Script error: No such module "Lang"..
("a portage named Ushabatshuan ('the rapids too strong to jump'). The voyageurs call it La Tuque, due to a tall mountain whose peak resembles a "tuque." The portage is a league long, and climbs steep slopes.")[2]
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
The hat-shaped mountain which gave its name to the town of La Tuque is located between the Saint-Maurice River (left bank) and the WestRock paper mill. The summit of this mountain is about Script error: No such module "convert".. It is located Script error: No such module "convert". from the river and about Script error: No such module "convert". upstream (northeast side) of the La Tuque hydroelectric power plant.
History
The territory of La Tuque was first inhabited by Atikamekw Indigenous people. In the early 1850s, settlers were drawn to the area to exploit the forest resources. The La Tuque Post Office opened in 1887, but the area remained isolated from the rest of the Mauricie until the early 1900s when the National Transcontinental Railway was built, prompting industrial development and the growth of a community on the east bank of the Saint-Maurice River where there was a large set of falls.[2]
On November 15, 1909, the Village Municipality of La Tuque was incorporated, with Achille Comeau as first mayor. A few months later on April 4, 1910, the Village Municipality of La Tuque Falls was formed, with Wenceslas Plante as first mayor. Less than one year later in March 1911, both villages merged to form the Town of La Tuque, with Wenceslas Plante as first mayor.[2][3]
In the 1940s, the hydro-electric generating station on the Saint-Maurice River was built, resulting in the partial destruction of the rock formation that gave the town its name.[2]
In 1972, the Municipality of Haute-Mauricie was formed out of portions from the unincorporated Carignan and Malhiot Townships, in the proximity of the Saint-Maurice Wildlife Reserve. However, its low population and constantly rising administrative costs led to the merger of Haute-Mauricie with La Tuque in August 1993.[2]
On March 26, 2003, Le Haut-Saint-Maurice Regional County Municipality was dissolved and all its municipalities and unorganized territories were amalgamated into the new City of La Tuque, thereby becoming the largest municipality with city status in land area in Quebec, and largest in Canada (38,000 km2). On January 1, 2006, the municipalities of La Bostonnais and Lac-Édouard separated and were reestablished.[2]
In May 2010, some 120 forest fires broke out around La Tuque, burning until June.[4][5] Smoke from these fires reached portions of Eastern Ontario and southern Quebec, including the cities of Ottawa and Montreal, as well as the northern US states.[6][7][8]
In 2011, the 100th anniversary of La Tuque was celebrated with various cultural activities,[9] including a large parade held on June 25[10] as well as the creation of a recipe book made by local residents.[11]
Geography
While the urban area of La Tuque is relatively small, its entire territory is the largest city in Canada. It consists of almost all the entire former regional county municipality of Le Haut-Saint-Maurice, and includes the settlements of Carignan, Clova, La Croche, Fitzpatrick, Kiskissink, Oskélanéo, Parent, Rapide-Blanc, Rivière-aux-Rats, and Sanmaur.
Enclosed by but not administratively part of the city are the three First Nations reserves of Coucoucache, Obedjiwan, and Wemotaci.
Notable bodies of water in La Tuque are:
Notable rivers in La Tuque are:
Climate
La Tuque has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) with warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
Script error: No such module "weather box".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, La Tuque had a population of Script error: No such module "val". living in Script error: No such module "val". of its Script error: No such module "val". total private dwellings, a change of Script error: No such module "Percentage". from its 2016 population of Script error: No such module "val".. With a land area of Script error: No such module "convert"., it had a population density of Template:Pop density in 2021.[12] Template:Canada census
<templatestyles src="Module:Historical populations/styles.css"/>Script error: No such module "Historical populations".
| Canada Census Mother Tongue - La Tuque, Quebec[13] | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Total | French Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
English Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
French & English Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
Other Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
| |||||||||||||
| Year | Responses | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | |||||
2021 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,040 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
10,260 | Increase 1.3% | 92.9% | 155 | Decrease 13.9% | 1.4% | 95 | Increase 35.7% | 0.9% | 430 | Increase 2.4% | 3.9% | |||||
2016 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
10,830 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
10,125 | Decrease 3.2% | 93.5% | 180 | Steady 0.0% | 1.7% | 70 | Increase 40.0% | 0.6% | 420 | Increase 29.2% | 3.9% | |||||
2011 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,010 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
10,455 | Decrease 5.6% | 95.0% | 180 | Decrease 5.3% | 1.6% | 50 | Increase 150.0% | 0.5% | 325 | Increase 8.3% | 3.0% | |||||
2006 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,590 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,080 | Increase 3.6% | 95.6% | 190 | Increase 5.5% | 1.6% | 20 | Decrease 66.7% | 0.2% | 300 | Increase 33.3% | 2.6% | |||||
2001 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,160 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
10,695 | Decrease 6.2% | 95.8% | 180 | Decrease 53.8% | 1.6% | 60 | Increase 100.0% | 0.5% | 225 | Increase 60.7% | 2.0% | |||||
1996 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,965 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
|
11,405 | n/a | 95.3% | 390 | n/a | 3.3% | 30 | n/a | 0.3% | 140 | n/a | 1.2% | |||||
Territorial equivalent
<templatestyles src="Module:Historical populations/styles.css"/>Script error: No such module "Historical populations".
The population of the La Tuque territorial equivalent according to the Canada 2021 Census is 15,038.[14] Template:Canada census
Economy
The local economy centres on pulp and paper; the city has a pulp-milling centre as well as a major hydroelectric station.
As the gateway to the upper Mauricie, La Tuque's economy also offers outdoor tourism opportunities and caters to hunting and fishing trips in its large hinterland, which is partially regulated by the following Script error: No such module "Lang".:
- Zec de la Croche
- Zec de la Bessonne
- Zec Borgia
- Zec Frémont
- Zec du Gros-Brochet
- Zec Jeannotte, Québec
- Zec Kiskissink
- Zec Menokeosawin
- Zec Tawachiche
- Zec Wessonneau
Government
Urban agglomeration
The Urban agglomeration of La Tuque is an urban agglomeration that consists of:
- the city of La Tuque,
- the municipality of La Bostonnais,
- the municipality of Lac-Édouard.
The agglomeration comprises the elements of the redefined city of La Tuque as it existed after amalgamation on March 26, 2003, including the two municipalities that chose to de-merge on January 1, 2006.
The agglomeration of La Tuque succeeded to the regional county municipality of Haut-Saint-Maurice, which was created in 1982 from part of the Quebec ridings's (county's) of Champlain electoral district, of Quebec electoral district of Saint-Maurice and of Abitibi. Le Haut-Saint-Maurice was dissolved during the merger of all municipalities in 2003 to create the city of La Tuque. Following the referendum on recreating La Bostonnais and Lac-Édouard, the agglomeration of La Tuque was created to allow municipalities to manage in common some competencies.
Census division
La Tuque is a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division of Quebec, with geographical code 90. The TE of La Tuque consists of:
- the municipalities of the urban agglomeration of La Tuque, namely
- the city of La Tuque
- the municipality of La Bostonnais
- the municipality of Lac-Édouard
- three Indian reserves, namely
List of mayors
The mayor is the municipality's highest elected official. La Tuque has had fifteen mayors, since its incorporation as a city.[15]
| # | Mayor | Taking office | Leaving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wenceslas Plante | 1911 | 1915 |
| 2 | Alphondor Roy | 1915 | 1920 |
| 3 | Donat E. Hardy | 1920 | 1921 |
| 4 | Wellie Juneau | 1921 | 1921 |
| 5 | Réal Gravel | 1921 | 1923 |
| 1 | Wenceslas Plante | 1923 | 1927 |
| 6 | François-Xavier Lamontagne | 1927 | 1935 |
| 7 | Joseph-Omer Journeault[16] | 1935 | 1944 |
| 8 | Omer Veillette | 1944 | 1947 |
| 7 | Joseph-Omer Journeault | 1947 | 1951 |
| 9 | Léo-Joffre Pilon[17] | 1951 | 1955 |
| 10 | J.-Onésime Dallaire | 1955 | 1961 |
| 11 | Lucien Filion[18] | 1961 | 1985[19] |
| 12 | Clément Filion | 1985 | 1985 |
| 13 | André Duchesneau | 1985 | 1991 |
| 14 | Gaston Fortin[20] | 1991 | 2003 |
| 15 | Réjean Gaudreault[21] | 2003 | 2009 |
| 16 | Normand Beaudoin | 2009 | 2017 |
| 17 | Pierre-David Tremblay | 2017 | 2021 |
| 18 | Luc Martel | 2021 |
Infrastructure
The main highway is Quebec Route 155 that connects La Tuque with Shawinigan to the south and the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region to the north. Numerous forest roads provide access to remote hunting and fishing camps, and the village of Parent is accessible by a Script error: No such module "convert". long gravel road from Mont-Saint-Michel in the Laurentides region.
The Canadian National Railway dissects La Tuque's territory. This railway, built in 1910 by the National Transcontinental Railway, connected Quebec City to the Canadian Prairies and goes through vast wilderness areas of northern Quebec and Ontario. While it was intended to ship grain from the prairies to the Port of Quebec and to open up virgin territories, it never carried much rail traffic. However, it is still serviced by Via Rail at the La Tuque railway station and Parent railway station, with request stops at Fitzpatrick, Oskélanéo, and Clova. Other sidings along the line are Casey, Hibbard, Cann, Sanmaur, Vandry, Windigo, and Rapide-Blanc-Station.
The La Tuque Airport is located directly south of the town's centre on Route 155. La Tuque Water Aerodrome is located just north of the city centre.
Notable people
- Mathieu Fortin, writer
- Maude Guérin, actress
- Félix Leclerc (1914–1988), singer-songwriter, poet, writer, actor and Québécois political activist
- Sylvie Roy, politician
- James Renald, musician
- Gaétan Barrette, politician
- Steven Guilbeault, politician
See also
- La Tuque Water Aerodrome
- 21st-century municipal history of Quebec
- Municipal reorganization in Quebec
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
- ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Liste des maires, Ville de La Tuque, 1909 à 2009 Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Journeault ran as a Bloc Populaire candidate in the provincial election of 1944 in the district of Laviolette. He finished third.
- ↑ Pilon ran as a Liberal candidate in the 1952 and the 1956 provincial elections in the district of Laviolette. He was each time defeated by incumbent Romulus Ducharme.
- ↑ Lucien Filion ran as a Union Nationale candidate in the provincial election of 1970 in the district of Laviolette. He finished third.
- ↑ Lucien Filion dies in office on September 22, 1985.
- ↑ Fortin ran as a Union Nationale candidate in the provincial election of 1976 and as a Liberal candidate in the provincial election of 1994 in the district of Laviolette. Each time he lost to Jean-Pierre Jolivet.
- ↑ Gaudreault admits that he generally supports the Parti Québécois in provincial elections, even though municipal elections in La Tuque are officially on a non-partisan basis. Patrick Vaillancourt, Le maire Gaudreault approché par le PQ, L'Hebdo Mékinac des Chenaux, November 13, 2008Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
External links
Template:Sister project Template:Wikivoyage
Template:Geographic location Template:La Tuque TE Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox".