Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Havre-Saint-Pierre is a town situated on Pointe-aux-Esquimaux, which is on the Quebec
north shore (Côte-Nord
) of the Saint Lawrence River
in Canada
. Located along Route 138
some 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) east of Sept-Îles
, it is the largest town and seat of the Minganie RCM
, and home to many government, municipal, and regional services.
Historically, the town's first inhabitants came from the Magdalen Islands
in the nineteenth century. As a result, the people of the town speak a dialect much more closely related to Acadian French
than to Quebec French
.
Other important geological features near the town include the Romaine River
to the north and west, les Chutes Manitou, on the Manitou River to the west, l'Ile du Havre, less than a kilometre offshore from the town, and Anticosti Island
, which on clear days can be seen to the south of the town.
, settled on Eskimo Point (Pointe aux Esquimaux). The first mass was held on June 29, 1857, day of the feast of Saint Peter
. In 1872, the Parish of Saint-Pierre-de-la-Pointe-aux-Esquimaux was officially established, the same year its post office opened under the name Esquimaux Point.
In 1873, the place was incorporated as a municipality. In 1924, the post office changed its name to Havre-Saint-Pierre, followed by the town in 1927, in order to focus on the harbor, which characterizes the area, while retaining the original parish name. It remained the largest town on the North Shore until 1936 when it was overtaken by Baie-Comeau.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1236 (total dwellings: 1376)
Mother tongue:
mine, for which the town serves as a port. Since 1948, the Quebec Iron and Titanium Company
mines deposits of ilmenite
, a mineral composed of iron and titanium, at a site some 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) north.The Chemin de fer de la Rivière Romaine
brings it by rail cars to Havre-Saint-Pierre.
Tourism contributes significantly to the local economic due to the town's position near the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
, a park encompassing a large number of islands in Mingan Archipelago
of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
and noted for the unique variety of flora and fauna to be found there, such as puffin
s and the rare Mingan Thistle, as well as the unique geological features on many of the islands referred to as monolith
s.
The town is also noted for the excellent fishing, being made up largely of snow crab
, scallop
s, and lobster
, with excellent salmon
and trout
to be found in the numerous rivers and lakes.
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....
north shore (Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
) of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
in 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...
. Located along Route 138
Quebec route 138
Route 138 is a major highway in the Canadian province of Quebec, following the entire north shore of the Saint Lawrence River past Montreal to the eastern terminus in Natashquan on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The western terminus is in Elgin, at the border with New York State south-west of Montreal...
some 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) east of Sept-Îles
Sept-Îles, Quebec
For the islands in north of Brittany, see JentilezSept-Îles is a city in the Côte-Nord region of eastern Quebec, Canada. It is the northernmost town in Quebec with any significant population...
, it is the largest town and seat of the Minganie RCM
Minganie Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Minganie is a regional county municipality of Quebec in Canada. The regional seat is Havre-Saint-Pierre. Anticosti Island is included within this region. It has a land area of ....
, and home to many government, municipal, and regional services.
Historically, the town's first inhabitants came from the Magdalen Islands
Magdalen Islands
The Magdalen Islands form a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with a land area of . Though closer to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the islands form part of the Canadian province of Quebec....
in the nineteenth century. As a result, the people of the town speak a dialect much more closely related to Acadian French
Acadian French
Acadian French , is a regionalized dialect of Canadian French. It is spoken by the francophone population of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by small minorities in areas in the Gaspé region of eastern Quebec, by small groups of francophones in Prince Edward Island, in several tiny pockets...
than to Quebec French
Quebec French
Quebec French , or Québécois French, is the predominant variety of the French language in Canada, in its formal and informal registers. Quebec French is used in everyday communication, as well as in education, the media, and government....
.
Other important geological features near the town include the Romaine River
Romaine River
The Romaine River is a river in the Côte-Nord region of the Canadian province of Quebec. It is long. It is not to be confused with the Olomane River that is to the east and had the same name for a long time....
to the north and west, les Chutes Manitou, on the Manitou River to the west, l'Ile du Havre, less than a kilometre offshore from the town, and Anticosti Island
Anticosti Island
Anticosti Island is an island at the outlet of the Saint Lawrence River into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in Quebec, Canada, between 49° and 50° N., and between 61° 40' and 64° 30' W. At in size, it is the 90th largest island in the world and 20th largest island in Canada...
, which on clear days can be seen to the south of the town.
History
In 1857, a group of Acadian families from the Magdalen Islands, who had previously been deported from Savannah (Georgia, USA)Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, settled on Eskimo Point (Pointe aux Esquimaux). The first mass was held on June 29, 1857, day of the feast of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
. In 1872, the Parish of Saint-Pierre-de-la-Pointe-aux-Esquimaux was officially established, the same year its post office opened under the name Esquimaux Point.
In 1873, the place was incorporated as a municipality. In 1924, the post office changed its name to Havre-Saint-Pierre, followed by the town in 1927, in order to focus on the harbor, which characterizes the area, while retaining the original parish name. It remained the largest town on the North Shore until 1936 when it was overtaken by Baie-Comeau.
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 3150 (2001 to 2006 population change: -4.3 %)
- Population in 2001: 3291
- Population in 1996: 3450
- Population in 1991: 3502
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1236 (total dwellings: 1376)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 0.5 %
- French as first language: 98.4 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 1.1 %
Economy
The city hospital is the major employer in the region. Havre-Saint-Pierre is also located near Canada's only titaniumTitanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
mine, for which the town serves as a port. Since 1948, the Quebec Iron and Titanium Company
QIT-Fer et Titane
QIT-Fer et Titane is a Canadian mining company located in Quebec. The company operates an ilmenite mine at Lac Tio in northern Quebec, and in southern Quebec operates refining facilities that produce titanium dioxide, pig iron, steel, and other metal products...
mines deposits of ilmenite
Ilmenite
Ilmenite is a weakly magnetic titanium-iron oxide mineral which is iron-black or steel-gray. It is a crystalline iron titanium oxide . It crystallizes in the trigonal system, and it has the same crystal structure as corundum and hematite....
, a mineral composed of iron and titanium, at a site some 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) north.The Chemin de fer de la Rivière Romaine
Chemin de fer de la Rivière Romaine
The Chemin de fer de la Rivière Romaine links Havre-Saint-Pierre to the massive ilmenite to lake Tio. The mineral is then shipped to Sorel-Tracy using the St. Lawrence river. The railroad was created in 1949...
brings it by rail cars to Havre-Saint-Pierre.
Tourism contributes significantly to the local economic due to the town's position near the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
The Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve is a national park reserve located in the eastern area of Quebec, Canada, on the north shore of Gulf of St. Lawrence. It features the Mingan Archipelago, a chain of around 40 islands....
, a park encompassing a large number of islands in Mingan Archipelago
Mingan Archipelago
The Mingan Archipelago is an archipelago located east of Quebec, Canada. It consists of a chain of about 40 islands.Starting but 124 miles from the end of the road along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River , the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada spreads about 109 miles...
of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
and noted for the unique variety of flora and fauna to be found there, such as puffin
Puffin
Puffins are any of three small species of auk in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among...
s and the rare Mingan Thistle, as well as the unique geological features on many of the islands referred to as monolith
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
s.
The town is also noted for the excellent fishing, being made up largely of snow crab
Chionoecetes
Chionoecetes is a genus of crabs that live in the northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.Other names for crabs in this genus include "queen crab" and "spider crab" – they are known by different names in different areas of the world....
, scallop
Scallop
A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusk of the family Pectinidae. Scallops are a cosmopolitan family, found in all of the world's oceans. Many scallops are highly prized as a food source...
s, and lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
, with excellent salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
to be found in the numerous rivers and lakes.