Radisson, Quebec
Encyclopedia
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
. Geographically, Radisson is located halfway between the southern and northern most points in Quebec and is, besides Schefferville, the only non-native town north of the 53rd parallel
in this province.
Radisson was founded in 1974 to accommodate workers for the James Bay hydroelectric project
and named by the Société de développement de la Baie James after Pierre-Esprit Radisson
, a 17th century French explorer and founder of the Hudson's Bay Company
. During the peak construction period in 1977, its population reached about 2,500 and has fluctuated since that time. Currently it is a community of about 300 people. The main employer is Hydro-Québec
and its main subsidiary, the Société de l'énergie de la Baie James. Many locals are also employed in the tourism/hospitality industry that caters especially to the outdoor sports, such as hunting, fishing, and camping.
Radisson, also referred to on some unofficial maps as "La Grande", is part of the Municipality of Baie-James
which covers most of the territory of James Bay region, with the exception of the Cree villages as well as towns of Chapais
, Chibougamau
, Matagami
and Lebel-sur-Quévillon
, all of which are enclaves.
The town is accessible by road from Matagami, 620 kilometres (385.3 mi) to the south. The road is known as the James Bay Road (French: Route de la Baie James) and was built during the construction of the James Bay Project in the mid-1970s. No services whatsoever are available along this road with the exception of a 24-hour service station, complete with cafeteria and lodging, at kilometer 381. The road is fully paved, well maintained, and plowed during the winter, making Radisson accessible year-round.
Despite its remoteness, Radisson has plenty of services for its residents and travellers: airport
, two fuel stations, hotel, motel, campground (summer only), a general store, restaurants, gift shops, a school and a hospital. It is also the starting point of guided tours of the Robert-Bourassa power station.
The Cree village of Chisasibi
is about 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) to the west, near the mouth of the La Grande River. To the East is the Trans-Taiga Road (French: Route Transtaïga) that leads to the Caniapiscau Reservoir
and the former construction camp of Caniapiscau (now used by a wilderness outfitter).
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
situated near the Robert-Bourassa
Robert-Bourassa generating station
The Robert-Bourassa generating station is a hydroelectric power station on the La Grande River that is part of Hydro-Québec's James Bay Project in Canada...
hydroelectric power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
on the La Grande River
La Grande River
La Grande River is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, which rises in the highlands of north central Quebec and flows roughly west to drain into James Bay. It is the second largest river in Quebec, surpassed only by the Saint Lawrence River....
in the James Bay region
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...
of 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....
. Geographically, Radisson is located halfway between the southern and northern most points in Quebec and is, besides Schefferville, the only non-native town north of the 53rd parallel
53rd parallel north
The 53rd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 53 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
in this province.
Radisson was founded in 1974 to accommodate workers for the James Bay hydroelectric project
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....
and named by the Société de développement de la Baie James after Pierre-Esprit Radisson
Pierre-Esprit Radisson
Pierre-Esprit Radisson was a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer. He is often linked to his brother-in-law Médard des Groseilliers who was about 20 years older. The decision of Radisson and Groseilliers to enter the English service led to the formation of the Hudson's Bay Company.Born near...
, a 17th century French explorer and founder of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. During the peak construction period in 1977, its population reached about 2,500 and has fluctuated since that time. Currently it is a community of about 300 people. The main employer is Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
and its main subsidiary, the Société de l'énergie de la Baie James. Many locals are also employed in the tourism/hospitality industry that caters especially to the outdoor sports, such as hunting, fishing, and camping.
Radisson, also referred to on some unofficial maps as "La Grande", is part of the Municipality of Baie-James
Baie-James, Quebec
The Municipality of Baie-James 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...
which covers most of the territory of James Bay region, with the exception of the Cree villages as well as towns 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...
, 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 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...
, all of which are enclaves.
Despite its remoteness, Radisson has plenty of services for its residents and travellers: 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....
, two fuel stations, hotel, motel, campground (summer only), a general store, restaurants, gift shops, a school and a hospital. It is also the starting point of guided tours of the Robert-Bourassa power station.
The Cree village of Chisasibi
Chisasibi, Quebec
Chisasibi is a village on the eastern shore of James Bay, in the Eeyou Istchee territory in northern Quebec, Canada. It is situated on the south shore of La Grande River , less than from the river's mouth...
is about 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) to the west, near the mouth of the La Grande River. To the East is the Trans-Taiga Road (French: Route Transtaïga) that leads to the Caniapiscau Reservoir
Caniapiscau Reservoir
The Caniapiscau Reservoir is a reservoir on the upper Caniapiscau River in the Côte-Nord administrative region of the Canadian province of Quebec...
and the former construction camp of Caniapiscau (now used by a wilderness outfitter).
External links
- Municipality of Baie-James (French, English)
- Description of Radisson (French)
- Virtual tour of Radisson, photos (English)
- Travelogue (English)