Sainte-Félicité, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec

Sainte-Félicité
Municipality

Church of Sainte-Félicité

Location within La Matanie RCM.

Sainte-Félicité

Location in eastern Quebec.

Coordinates: 48°54′N 67°20′W / 48.900°N 67.333°WCoordinates: 48°54′N 67°20′W / 48.900°N 67.333°W[1]
Country  Canada
Province  Quebec
Region Bas-Saint-Laurent
RCM La Matanie
Settled mid 19th century
Constituted January 10, 1996
Government[2]
 • Mayor Claudine Desjardins
 • Federal riding Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
 • Prov. riding Matane-Matapédia
Area[2][3]
 • Total 90.60 km2 (34.98 sq mi)
 • Land 91.35 km2 (35.27 sq mi)
  There is an apparent
contradiction between two
authoritative sources
Population (2011)[3]
 • Total 1,175
 • Density 12.9/km2 (33/sq mi)
 • Pop 2006-2011 Decrease 2.2%
 • Dwellings 625
Demonym Félicitois, Félicitoise
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s) G0J 2K0
Area code(s) 418 and 581
Highways Route 132

Sainte-Félicité is a municipality in La Matanie Regional County Municipality of Quebec, Canada, located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River. It is named after Felicitas of Rome, a martyred saint. Its economy is based on fishing and agriculture.

Notable people who came from Sainte-Félicité include Québécois pop singer Isabelle Boulay, who was born there in 1972.

In addition to Sainte-Félicité itself, the municipality also includes the communities of Cap-à-la-Baleine, L'Anse-à-la-Croix, Le Grand-Deuxième, Le Petit-Deuxième, and Sainte-Félicité-Ouest.

History

According to recent studies, Cap à la Baleine (Cape Whale) was how far Jacques Cartier sailed up the Saint Lawrence in 1534. It was also an area with many shipwrecks, earning it the name Pointe-au-Massacre (Massacre Point), sometimes pluralized as Pointe-aux-Massacres. While Saint-Denis, the name of the geographic township, was used concurrently, the macabre name remained in use until the mid 19th century and was the inspiration for the current name, because Bishop Charles-François Baillargeon wrote "je change le Massacre en Félicité" ("I change the massacre to happiness") in 1860.[1]

In 1857, a mission was established. In 1864, the post office opened under the name Sainte-Félicité. In 1866, the place was incorporated as the Township Municipality of Saint-Denis, but two years later changed its name and status to Parish Municipality of Sainte-Félicité.[1]

In 1955, the main settlement separated from the parish municipality and was incorporated as the Village Municipality of Sainte-Félicité.[1]

On January 10, 1996, the current Municipality of Sainte-Félicité was formed when the Village Municipality and Parish Municipality were rejoined together again.[1]

Demographics

Population

Historical Census Data - Sainte-Félicité, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec[6]
YearPop.±%
1991 666—    
YearPop.±%
1996 1,330+99.7%
YearPop.±%
2001 1,256−5.6%
YearPop.±%
2006 1,201−4.4%
YearPop.±%
2011 1,175−2.2%

Population trend (pre-merger):[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Sainte-Félicité (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Sainte-Félicité". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Sainte-Félicité census profile". 2011 Census data. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  4. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  5. ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  6. ↑ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  7. ↑ Statistics Canada: 1996
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Adjacent Municipal Subdivisions
Saint Lawrence River
Matane Grosses-Roches
   Sainte-Félicité  
Saint-Adelme Saint-Jean-de-Cherbourg