| Lac-Despinassy | |
| Settlement Type: | Unorganized territory |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Western Quebec |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in western Quebec. |
| Coordinates: | 48.7833°N -97°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Quebec |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Abitibi-Témiscamingue |
| Subdivision Type3: | RCM |
| Subdivision Name3: | Abitibi |
| Established Title1: | Constituted |
| Established Date1: | January 1, 1986 |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] [2] |
| Leader Title1: | Federal riding |
| Leader Name1: | Abitibi—Témiscamingue |
| Leader Title2: | Prov. riding |
| Leader Name2: | Abitibi-Ouest |
| Area Footnotes: | [3] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1856.10 |
| Area Land Km2: | 1848.65 |
| Population Total: | 21 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Density Km2: | 0.0 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Pop 2016-2021 |
| Population Blank1: | 110.0% |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Dwellings |
| Population Blank2: | 12 |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | −05:00 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −04:00 |
| Area Code: | 819 |
| Blank Name: | Highways |
Lac-Despinassy is an unorganized territory in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within the Abitibi Regional County Municipality. The area is east of the municipality of Saint-Dominique-du-Rosaire, north of La Morandière-Rochebaucourt and the parish municipality of Senneterre, and west of the city of Senneterre.[4]
The eponymous Lake Despinassy is the territory's largest lake and is named after the geographic township of Despinassy. This name was already assigned to the area in 1911 and comes from Louis-Auguste-Victor Despinassy, a lieutenant of the Royal Artillery and Engineers Corps in General Montcalm's army. The township is swampy, mostly forested, and flat, not exceeding 325m (1,066feet) above sea level. The Hurault and Lavigne Creeks, as well as the Despinassy and Laflamme Rivers, flow through the territory, while the Bell River forms its eastern boundary.[5]
A few kilometres west of Lake Despinassy along Route 397 is the hamlet of Despinassy (48.7633°N -77.4406°W), the territory's only population centre. Founded in 1948, it is one of the youngest communities in the Abitibi. By 1952, there were 140 families, but most have since left.[5] Currently, the area is being explored for potential mining of gold deposits.[6]
Population trend:[7]
