Mattice-Val Côté, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Mattice-Val Côté is an incorporated township in Cochrane District in Northeastern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Hearst
and 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Kapuskasing on Ontario Highway 11.
Mattice is located on the Missinaibi River
, a historic fur-trading route that flows into the Moose River
, then into James Bay
. The river is a popular destination for canoers
, known for its historical significance and its breathtaking views.
Mattice was founded in the 1910s, fueled by the arrival of the Canadian Transcontinental Railway and free land given away by the government. Most residents came from the province of Quebec.
The history of Mattice-Val Côté and its residents is detailed in the two volume book Si Missinaïbi m'était conté. Volume I tells the story of the original settlers in the early 1920’s. Volume II tells the story of their descendants.
in the lumber industry. Opasatika's mill is now shut down. Other residents work in the service industry.
A group of local women entrepreneurs have banded together to open a clothing company which manufactures polar fleece
clothing, ideal for the cold winter conditions of the area.
along the river.
Mattice is home to a historical First Nations
cemetery, located two kilometers south of town. It had been abandoned in the 1940s but has now been cleaned up and can be accessed by road or by canoe on the Missinaibi River.
A rock museum opened in Val Côté in 2002.
The first "journées médiévales" (Medieval Days) took place in the summer of 2006, inspired by a similar activity in a small Quebec town. The festival takes place at the baseball field of Mattice on the last weekend of August. This festival features the naming of a king and queen for the day, a competition to become a knight, a lot of family activities, a variety of different expositions and a meal without utensils.
Canadian Rivers Day
has been celebrated for four years with organized trips on the Missinaibi River, educational sessions and family activities.
, born in Canada for many generations, but different cultures can also be found such as Portuguese, First Nations, Finnish, Dutch and even Spanish (a couple). About 92% of the population is French but 96% speaks it.
Northeastern Ontario
Northeastern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and east of Lakes Superior and Huron.Northeastern Ontario consists of the districts of Algoma, Sudbury, Cochrane, Timiskaming, Nipissing and Manitoulin; and the single-tier municipality of Greater...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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...
. It is located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Hearst
Hearst, Ontario
Hearst is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in Northern Ontario, approximately west of Kapuskasing, approximately north of Toronto and east of Thunder Bay on Highway 11...
and 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Kapuskasing on Ontario Highway 11.
Mattice is located on the Missinaibi River
Missinaibi River
The Missinaibi River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Missinaibi Lake, north of Chapleau, and empties into the Moose River, which drains into James Bay. This river is in length...
, a historic fur-trading route that flows into the Moose River
Moose River (Ontario)
The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
, then into 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...
. The river is a popular destination for canoers
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, known for its historical significance and its breathtaking views.
History
The history of Mattice-Val Côté and its residents is detailed in the two volume book Si Missinaïbi m'était conté. Volume I tells the story of the original settlers in the early 1920’s. Volume II tells the story of their descendants.
Economy
A majority of residents work in nearby Hearst and OpasatikaOpasatika, Ontario
Opasatika is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Cochrane District.The main communities in the township are Opasatika and Lowther, both located along Highway 11 between Mattice and Harty. The ghost town of Reesor Siding, site of the 1963 Reesor Siding incident, is at the...
in the lumber industry. Opasatika's mill is now shut down. Other residents work in the service industry.
A group of local women entrepreneurs have banded together to open a clothing company which manufactures polar fleece
Polar fleece
Polar fleece, usually referred to simply as "fleece," is a soft napped insulating synthetic fabric made from Polyethylene terephthalate or other synthetic fibers. One of the first forms was Polar Fleece created in 1979 by Malden Mills, now Polartec LLC., a new, light and strong pile fabric meant...
clothing, ideal for the cold winter conditions of the area.
Tourist attractions
The Municipality of Mattice-Val Côté has set up a rest area on the river shore so that canoe enthusiasts can sleep, shower, rest and visit the sites. The municipality has also erected a sculpture depicting a voyageur portagingPortage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
along the river.
Mattice is home to a historical First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
cemetery, located two kilometers south of town. It had been abandoned in the 1940s but has now been cleaned up and can be accessed by road or by canoe on the Missinaibi River.
A rock museum opened in Val Côté in 2002.
Festivals
The Carnaval Missinaïbi (winter carnival) is held over the course of two weeks in the end of February/beginning of March every winter. Activities include snowmobile rallies, music concerts, and kids activities. The Carnaval is best known in the area for its generous prizes (vehicles and money) given away in the Carnival draw.The first "journées médiévales" (Medieval Days) took place in the summer of 2006, inspired by a similar activity in a small Quebec town. The festival takes place at the baseball field of Mattice on the last weekend of August. This festival features the naming of a king and queen for the day, a competition to become a knight, a lot of family activities, a variety of different expositions and a meal without utensils.
Canadian Rivers Day
Canadian Rivers Day
Canadian Rivers Day is held annually on the second Sunday in June to promote public awareness of the importance of preserving the heritage and health of Canada's rivers. It is an opportunity for all Canadians to honour and commemorate the important sustaining role of rivers in Canada and globally...
has been celebrated for four years with organized trips on the Missinaibi River, educational sessions and family activities.
Sports
Residents and visitors enjoy outdoor sports such as hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, camping, swimming and canoeing. It is a popular spot for anglers and hunters.Education
The local grade school is called École catholique St-François-Xavier where students go from kindergarten to grade 8. High school students are bussed to École Secondaire catholique Hearst.Demographics
The majority of Mattice-Val Côté residents are French speaking. Most of the residents are also CaucasianCaucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, born in Canada for many generations, but different cultures can also be found such as Portuguese, First Nations, Finnish, Dutch and even Spanish (a couple). About 92% of the population is French but 96% speaks it.