Normétal, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Normétal is a municipality
in northwestern Quebec
, Canada
, in the Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality
. It covers 55.89 km² and had a population of 981 in the Canada 2006 Census
.
, Portland
, Bellechasse
and the Mauricie
, was therefore first called Abana. In 1931, the Normetal Mining Corporation acquired the mine and brought it to full operation six years later. In 1939, the railway and road to Dupuy
was completed. In 1945, the place was incorporated, taking the name of the mining corporation whose name in turn is a portmanteau for "northern" and "metal".
In 1949, street lighting was installed in Normétal. In 1950, the mining corporation came under control of Noranda (which became Falconbridge Ltd.
and bought by Xstrata
in 2006). In 1956, the mine had a peak production of 900 tons of ore per day and employed over 600 persons. In 1961, the town reached a population of 2519, its largest number of residents. But in 1975, after reaching a depth of 8000 feet (2,438.4 m), the copper mine closed, resulting in a large exodus of people from the community with many going to the mines of Matagami
and Joutel
that had just opened. By the following year, the population had dropped to 1455.
In 1990, the Normetmar Mine close. In 2005, work began on rehabilitation of the mine site by removing the tailings and planting vegetation.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 394 (total dwellings: 431)
Mother tongue:
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in northwestern 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...
, in the Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality
Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality is located in Northwestern Quebec. The Regional County Municipality seat is La Sarre.-Communities:*Cities and Towns**Duparquet**La Sarre**Macamic*Municipalities**Authier...
. It covers 55.89 km² and had a population of 981 in the Canada 2006 Census
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...
.
History
In 1923, zinc and copper was discovered near the Calamité River and two years later, the Abana Mine Company obtained the mining rights. The new settlement, formed by families from Saint-EustacheSaint-Eustache, Quebec
Saint-Eustache is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in western Quebec, Canada, west of Montreal on the north shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles....
, Portland
Portland
Portland commonly refers to:* Portland, Oregon, United States* Portland, Maine, United States* Isle of Portland, England, the origin of the namePortland may also refer to:-Australia:...
, Bellechasse
Bellechasse County
Bellechasse County was a county of Quebec, Canada during the 19th and 20th centuries. Part or all of it was within the Bellechasse federal electoral district at least from 1882 to 1987....
and the Mauricie
Mauricie
Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
, was therefore first called Abana. In 1931, the Normetal Mining Corporation acquired the mine and brought it to full operation six years later. In 1939, the railway and road to Dupuy
Dupuy, Quebec
Dupuy is a municipality in northwestern Quebec, Canada, in the Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality. It covers 123.48 km² and had a population of 973 in the Canada 2006 Census.The municipality was incorporated on September 10, 1918.-Demographics:...
was completed. In 1945, the place was incorporated, taking the name of the mining corporation whose name in turn is a portmanteau for "northern" and "metal".
In 1949, street lighting was installed in Normétal. In 1950, the mining corporation came under control of Noranda (which became Falconbridge Ltd.
Falconbridge Ltd.
Falconbridge Limited was a Toronto, Ontario-based natural resources company with operations in 18 countries, involved in the exploration, mining, processing, and marketing of metal and mineral products, including nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum. It was listed on the TSX and NYSE , and had...
and bought by Xstrata
Xstrata
Xstrata plc is a global mining company headquartered in Zug, Switzerland and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is a major producer of coal , copper, nickel, primary vanadium and zinc and the world's largest producer of ferrochrome...
in 2006). In 1956, the mine had a peak production of 900 tons of ore per day and employed over 600 persons. In 1961, the town reached a population of 2519, its largest number of residents. But in 1975, after reaching a depth of 8000 feet (2,438.4 m), the copper mine closed, resulting in a large exodus of people from the community with many going to the mines of 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...
and Joutel
Joutel, Quebec
Joutel 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...
that had just opened. By the following year, the population had dropped to 1455.
In 1990, the Normetmar Mine close. In 2005, work began on rehabilitation of the mine site by removing the tailings and planting vegetation.
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 886 (2001 to 2006 population change: -13.1 %)
- Population in 2001: 1019
- Population in 1996: 1129
- Population in 1991: 1193
- Population in 1986: 1231
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 394 (total dwellings: 431)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 0 %
- French as first language: 100 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 0 %
Municipal council
- Mayor: Daniel Therrien
- Councillors: Manon Boisclair, Monique Bouchard, Vicky Gaudet, Jasmine Lampron, Roger Lévesque, Bertrand Naud
List of mayors
The former mayors of Normétal were:- Albert Lafond 1945–47
- Georges Barré 1947–55
- Roméo Morin 1955–56
- Lucien Trottier 1956–61
- Lionel Mayer 1961–63
- Samuel Petitclerc 1963–65, 1975–76
- Régis Comeau 1965–68
- Philippe Doire 1968–75
- Réal Gamache 1976–81
- Maurice Moisan 1981
- André Rivest 1981
- Normand Beaupré 1981–2005
- Daniel Therrien 2005–07
- Jean Bergeron 2007–2010
- Louise Quesnel 2010–