Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, Quebec explained

Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs
Flag Size:120x100px
Pushpin Map:Canada Eastern Quebec
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in eastern Quebec
Coordinates:48°N -96°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Established Title:Settled
Established Title1:Constituted
Established Date1:1 January 1874
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Gilbert Delage
Area Total Km2:142.85
Area Land Km2:11.53
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:71
Population Density Km2:6.2
Population Blank1 Title:Pop 2016-2021
Population Blank1: 97.2%
Population Blank2 Title:Dwellings
Population Blank2:117
Utc Offset:−5
Utc Offset Dst:−4
Blank Name:Highways
Blank Info:No major routes

Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs (in French pronounced as /nɔtʁədam de sɛt dulœʁ/, meaning "Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows") is an island municipality in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Rivière-du-Loup Regional County Municipality. It is located on and contiguous with Île Verte (French for "Green Island") in the Estuary of St. Lawrence, about 20km (10miles) north-east of Rivière-du-Loup. The name Île Verte was given in 1621 by Samuel de Champlain written "Isle Verte".

With a population of only 71 persons, Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs is one of the smallest municipalities in Canada. It is home to the oldest lighthouse in Quebec (built in 1809).

The main economic activities are fishing and tourism. Many fish smokehouses are present on the island. In addition to the oldest lighthouse in Quebec, its pastoral character, skeleton museum, many artists and heritage homes also attract tourists.

Geography

Verte Island is about from the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, roughly long with a maximum width of . It has a maximum elevation of .

History

The island was first mentioned in the Jesuit Reports of 1663 following a shipwreck which forced Henri Nouvel to stay there for about ten days.

On 10 June 1816, half the Nova Scotia Fencibles, some 210 officers and other ranks, together with 48 wives and children, were on board the Archduke Charles when it wrecked near Green Island. Four soldiers, two wives, and two children lost their lives.

In 1874, the municipality was formed out of the parish of La Décollation-de-Saint-Jean-Baptiste on 18 November, which led to its name "Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs" since this date corresponded to the Day of Our Lady of Sorrows on the liturgical calendar at that time. However the municipality only existed on paper. The community formed in isolation and life on the island was governed by traditional customs, so people had little need for municipal management, which would have been a family affair anyway. Finally on 5 February 1912, the first council meeting took place.

Today, the biggest family to occupy the Island is the Fraser of Scottish Canadian descent.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 11.53km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[2]

Mother tongue (2021):[1]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, Paroisse (municipalité de) (PE) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population . www12.statcan.gc.ca . 9 February 2022 . Government of Canada - Statistics Canada . 29 September 2022.
  2. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec . . 9 February 2022 . 29 August 2022.