Baie-James, Quebec
Encyclopedia
The Municipality of Baie-James (2006 Population
1,394) is in northern Quebec
, Canada
, to the east of James Bay
. It covers 297,329.66 square kilometers of land, making it the largest incorporated municipality in Canada — only eight unorganized territories are larger. Its territory almost entirely (about 98%) covers the administrative region of Jamésie
, although it contains less than five percent of the population. Essentially, it is the remainder of the Jamésie Territory's land after all of the major population centres have been removed.
The hydroelectric power plants of the La Grande Complex
are all located within the municipal boundaries of Baie-James, making the municipality strategically important to Quebec's energy policy. Other important economic sectors are mining, softwood logging, forestry, and tourism.
between the 49th and 55th parallel, with the exception of the Cree
Category 1 lands and the enclaves of Chapais
, Chibougamau
, Lebel-sur-Quévillon
and Matagami
.
In December 2001, the municipal council was reformed. It became a municipality of a special type directed by the mayors of the four enclave towns, as well as the chairpersons of the local community councils of Radisson
, Valcanton and Villebois. An eighth seat is reserved for a representative coming from the non-urban territory. The municipality gained additional authority and can exert certain powers as a regional county
.
Total private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 606 (total: 870)
Air transportation is through the La Grande Rivière Airport
near Radisson, which provides scheduled air service to Montreal and Puvirnituq
.
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
1,394) is in northern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to the east of James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
. It covers 297,329.66 square kilometers of land, making it the largest incorporated municipality in Canada — only eight unorganized territories are larger. Its territory almost entirely (about 98%) covers the administrative region of Jamésie
Jamésie Territory, Quebec
Jamésie is a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality of Quebec. Its geographical code is 991 .Together with the TEs of Kativik and Eeyou Istchee, it forms the administrative region and census division of Nord-du-Québec...
, although it contains less than five percent of the population. Essentially, it is the remainder of the Jamésie Territory's land after all of the major population centres have been removed.
The hydroelectric power plants of the La Grande Complex
James Bay Project
The James Bay Project is a series of hydroelectric development with a combined installed capacity of over 16,000 megawatts built since 1974 for Hydro-Québec by the on the La Grande and other rivers of Northern Quebec....
are all located within the municipal boundaries of Baie-James, making the municipality strategically important to Quebec's energy policy. Other important economic sectors are mining, softwood logging, forestry, and tourism.
History
The municipality was created in 1971 and was run by the board of directors of the Société de développement de la Baie James. It manages the territory of the James Bay and Northern Quebec AgreementJames Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement
The James Bay And Northern Quebec Agreement was an Aboriginal land claim settlement, approved in 1975 by the Cree and Inuit of northern Quebec, and later slightly modified in 1978 by the Northeastern Quebec Agreement, through which Quebec's Naskapi First Nations joined the treaty...
between the 49th and 55th parallel, with the exception of the Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
Category 1 lands and the enclaves of Chapais
Chapais, Quebec
Chapais is a community in the Canadian province of Quebec, located on Route 113 near Chibougamau in the Jamésie region. It is surrounded by, but not a part of, the municipality of Baie-James. The community was first settled in 1929, when prospector Léo Springer discovered deposits of copper, silver...
, Chibougamau
Chibougamau, Quebec
Chibougamau is a town in central Quebec, Canada, located on Lake Gilman. It has a population of 7,563 people , which makes it the largest community in northern Quebec...
, Lebel-sur-Quévillon
Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Quebec
Lebel-sur-Quévillon is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec, located on Route 113 in the Jamésie region. It is located approximately 88 kilometres north of Senneterre and approximately 200 kilometres southwest of Chibougamau...
and Matagami
Matagami, Quebec
Matagami is a small town in Quebec, Canada. It is located north of Amos, on Matagami Lake, at the northern terminus of Route 109 and the start of the James Bay Road . The town had a population of 1,555 in the Canada 2006 Census.-History:Matagami was founded in 1963 with the development of mining...
.
In December 2001, the municipal council was reformed. It became a municipality of a special type directed by the mayors of the four enclave towns, as well as the chairpersons of the local community councils of Radisson
Radisson, Quebec
Radisson is a small village situated near the Robert-Bourassa hydroelectric power station on the La Grande River in the James Bay region of Quebec...
, Valcanton and Villebois. An eighth seat is reserved for a representative coming from the non-urban territory. The municipality gained additional authority and can exert certain powers as a regional county
Regional county municipality
The term regional county municipality or RCM is used in Quebec to designate one of 86 county-like political and geographic units. In most cases, they are also census divisions. Regional County Municipalities are a supralocal type of "Regional Municipality" and are still commonly referred to as...
.
Communities in Baie-James
- Beaucanton
- Desmaraisville
- JoutelJoutel, QuebecJoutel is a ghost town in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in the municipality of Baie-James off Route 109 between Amos and Matagami.First established in 1965 due to the opening of gold, copper and zinc mines in the area, the community was named for early French explorer Henri Joutel, and...
- Miquelon
- RadissonRadisson, QuebecRadisson is a small village situated near the Robert-Bourassa hydroelectric power station on the La Grande River in the James Bay region of Quebec...
- northern-most non-native town in Quebec. - Val-Paradis
- Valcanton
- Villebois
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 1394
- Population in 2001: 1422
- 2001 to 2006 population change: -2.0 %
- Population in 1996: 1978
- Population in 1991: 3073
Total private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 606 (total: 870)
Transportation
The primary roads to and within Baie-James are:- Route 109Quebec route 109Route 109 is a Quebec provincial highway that runs through the western regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec. It begins at Route 117 in Rivière-Héva, proceeding north approximately to Amos. From there, the highway extends to Matagami, where the road continues northwards as James Bay...
- provincial highway to Matagami - Route 113Quebec route 113Route 113 is a north/south two lane highway in northern Quebec, Canada. It starts at Route 117 just north of Louvicourt and continues north and north-east roughly until Waswanipi from where it continues east until it ends at Route 167 in Chibougamau...
- provincial highway from Val-d'Or to Chibougamau - Route 393Quebec Route 393Route 393 is a Quebec provincial highway located in the province's Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec regions. The highway runs from the junction of Route 101 in the Rouyn-Noranda suburb of Destor and ends in Val-Paradis in the municipality of Baie-James...
- regional highway to Val-Paradis - James Bay Road - road from Matagami to Radisson
- North RoadRoute du NordThe Route du Nord is an isolated wilderness road in central Quebec, Canada, connecting Chibougamau with the James Bay Road at km 275. It is long, all of it unpaved...
- Trans-Taiga Road - access road to hydro-electric stations of the James Bay ProjectJames Bay ProjectThe James Bay Project is a series of hydroelectric development with a combined installed capacity of over 16,000 megawatts built since 1974 for Hydro-Québec by the on the La Grande and other rivers of Northern Quebec....
Air transportation is through the La Grande Rivière Airport
La Grande Rivière Airport
La Grande Rivière Airport, , is an airfield about from Radisson, Quebec, Canada. It is used mostly to shuttle Hydro-Québec personnel between Radisson and the larger cities in Quebec, but it is also served by Air Creebec and Air Inuit....
near Radisson, which provides scheduled air service to Montreal and Puvirnituq
Puvirnituq, Quebec
Puvirnituq is an Inuit settlement in Nunavik on the Povungnituk River near its mouth on the Hudson Bay in northern Quebec, Canada. Its population is 1457 .The name means "Place where there is a smell of rotten meat"...
.
External links
- Municipality of Baie-James
- Human Environment of the James Bay region (Detailed map of the James Bay region)
- Map of Baie-James