Portneuf, Quebec

Portneuf is a municipality in the Portneuf Regional County Municipality, in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the Saint Lawrence River, between Quebec City and Trois-Rivières. The Portneuf River runs on the east side of the town centre.

Portneuf
City
Location within Portneuf RCM
Portneuf
Location in central Quebec
Coordinates: 46°42′N 71°53′W[1]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionCapitale-Nationale
RCMPortneuf
Settled1640
ConstitutedJuly 4, 2002
Government
 • MayorMario Alain
 • Federal ridingPortneuf—Jacques-Cartier
 • Prov. ridingPortneuf
Area
 • Total117.10 km2 (45.21 sq mi)
 • Land109.39 km2 (42.24 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)[3]
 • Total3,187
 • Density29.1/km2 (75/sq mi)
 • Pop 2011-2016
 2.6%
 • Dwellings
1,545
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
G0A 2Y0
Area code(s)418 and 581
Highways
A-40
Route 138
Websitewww.villedeportneuf.com

The town of Portneuf is named after a seignory that was founded in 1636, and first settled in 1640.

The municipal territory consists of 2 non-contiguous areas, separated by the municipality of Sainte-Christine-d'Auvergne. The smaller northern portion is undeveloped, whereas the southern piece is the main inhabited part with the population centres of Portneuf (south of Autoroute 40), and the adjacent Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf, north of A-40. The present-day municipality was created in 2002, when the old city of Portneuf merged with the town of Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf.[4]

The town is located on the Chemin du Roy, a historic segment of Quebec Route 138 that stretches from near Montreal to Quebec City. The town is also close by to A-40, where Provencher Street connects to the town at Exit 261.

One of Portneuf's major employers is a local paper mill owned by Metro Paper Industries, a Toronto-based paper company.[5] Paper had been a major part of Portneuf's development since the first paper mill opened in 1839.[6]

History

In 1636, the area was granted by the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France as a seignory to Jacques Leneuf de La Poterie (1606-after 1685), who arrived in Quebec only some months later and became substitute governor of Trois-Rivières from 1645 to 1662. The first colonizers came around 1640 and settled at the mouth of the "Port Neuf" River (meaning new harbour).[1][7]

In 1817, the Portneuf post office opened. In 1861, the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf was formed, and two years later in 1863, it was incorporated as a parish municipality. In 1896, it lost a large portion of its territory when the Parish Municipality of Sainte-Christine was formed.[1]

In 1914, the village centre itself separated from the Parish Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf and was incorporated as the Village Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf. In 1961, this latter one changed status and abbreviated its name, becoming the City of Portneuf. On July 4, 2002, the parish municipality was amalgamated into the new City of Portneuf.[1][7]

Demographics

Population trend:[8]

  • Population in 2011: 3107 (2006 to 2011 population change: 0.7%)
  • Population in 2006: 3086
  • Population total in 2001: 3095
    • Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf (parish): 1659
    • Portneuf (ville): 1436
  • Population in 1996:
    • Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf (parish): 1727
    • Portneuf (ville): 1470
  • Population in 1991:
    • Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf (parish): 1675
    • Portneuf (ville): 1394

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1452 (total dwellings: 1544)

Mother tongue:

  • English as first language: 0.8%
  • French as first language: 97.2%
  • English and French as first language: 0.3%
  • Other as first language: 1.6%
  • Old inn in Portneuf
  • Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Church

See also

References
  1. "Portneuf (ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  2. Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire - Répertoire des municipalités: Portneuf Archived 2015-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "(Code 2434048) Census Profile". 2016 census. Statistics Canada. 2017.
  4. http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/publications/referenc/pdf/modjuillet02.pdf%5B%5D
  5. Web page for MPI's Portneuf plant
  6. University of Western Ontario: "Business and History - J. Ford & Co. Limited" Archived 2010-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Notre-Dame-de-Portneuf (Municipalité de paroisse)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  8. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
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