Montérégie

Montérégie
Administrative region
Coordinates: 45°23′N 73°06′W / 45.383°N 73.100°W / 45.383; -73.100Coordinates: 45°23′N 73°06′W / 45.383°N 73.100°W / 45.383; -73.100
Country Canada Canada
Province Quebec Quebec
Regional County
Municipalities (RCM) and Equivalent
Territories (ET)
Area[1]
 • Total 11,851 km2 (4,576 sq mi)
 • Land 11,131.32 km2 (4,297.83 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 1,442,433
 • Density 129.6/km2 (336/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Montérégien(ne)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code J
Area code 450, 579
Website monteregie.gouv.qc.ca
[1]

Montérégie (French pronunciation: ​[mɔ̃teʁeʒi]) is an administrative region in the southwest part of the Canadian province of Quebec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion.

The region has a population of 1,442,433 (2011) and a land area of 11,131.32 square kilometres (4,297.83 sq mi), giving it a population density of 129.6 hab/km² (336/sq mi). It is the second most populous region of Quebec after Montreal. The majority of the population lives near the Saint Lawrence River, on the south shore of Montreal.

Montérégie is known for its vineyards, orchards, panoramas, delicious products, and the Monteregian mountains. The region is both urban (second in terms of population in Quebec) and rural. The regional economy is based on agriculture and the production of goods and services. Tourism also makes up a significant portion of the economy.

History

Montérégie is named for the Monteregian Hills, which are in turn named for Mount Royal (Mont Royal in the original French). Montérégie was populated by the Iroquois when the French began to colonize here in the beginning of the 17th century.

Samuel de Champlain built several forts to protect the colonists against the Iroquois and against the English, who were colonizing New England to the southeast. N.B.: Jacques Cartier was the first European to "discover" Mont Royal, naming it in October 1535.[2]

Some of the battles which decided the destiny of Canada took place in Montérégie. Originally, the administrative territory of the Montérégie parishes were taken from the territory of the canonical Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil.

Subregions

The Montérégie comprises three administrative subregions, each consisting of its own Regional County Municipalities (RCM) or Equivalent Territories. The territorial administration of the region is conducted by three Regional Conferences of Elected Officers (French: Conférences régionales des élus) (CRE) separate and independent in their territory: Longueuil, Montérégie-Est (eastern RCMs) and Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent (western RCMs). Each sub-region is organized in the same way as other administrative regions of Quebec.

Regional County Municipalities

There are 14 Regional County Municipalities in Montérégie.

Montérégie Est

There are nine RCMs in Montérégie Est. Its seat is McMasterville, and the president is Arthur Fauteux. Its territory occupies 7,122.92 square kilometres (2,750.17 sq mi) and there are 656,287 inhabitants, with a population density of 92.1/km2 (238.6/sq mi).

Regional County Municipality (RCM) Population
Canada 2016 Census[3]		 Land Area Density
(pop. per km2)		 Seat of RCM
Acton 15,594 579.80 km2 (223.86 sq mi) 26.9 Acton Vale
Brome-Missisquoi 58,314 1,652.08 km2 (637.87 sq mi) 35.3 Cowansville
La Haute-Yamaska 88,306 636.81 km2 (245.87 sq mi) 138.7 Granby
La Vallée-du-Richelieu 124,420 588.60 km2 (227.26 sq mi) 211.4 McMasterville
Le Haut-Richelieu 117,443 936.02 km2 (361.40 sq mi) 125.5 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Les Maskoutains 87,099 1,302.90 km2 (503.05 sq mi) 66.9 Saint-Hyacinthe
Marguerite-D'Youville
(formerly Lajammerais until January 2011)		 77,550 346.04 km2 (133.61 sq mi) 224.1 Verchères
Pierre-De Saurel
(formerly La Bas-Richelieu until January 2009)		 51,025 597.55 km2 (230.72 sq mi) 85.4 Sorel-Tracy
Rouville 36,536 483.12 km2 (186.53 sq mi) 75.6 Marieville

Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent

There are five RCMs in Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent. Its seat is Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, and its president is Yves Daoust. Its territory occupies 3,727.22 square kilometres (1,439.09 sq mi) and there are 435,436 inhabitants, with a population density of 116.8/km2 (302.6/sq mi).

Regional County Municipality (RCM) Population
Canada 2016 Census[3]		 Land Area Density
(pop. per km2)		 Seat of RCM
Beauharnois-Salaberry 64,320 471.26 km2 (181.95 sq mi) 136.5 Beauharnois
Le Haut-Saint-Laurent 22,454 1,173.51 km2 (453.09 sq mi) 19.1 Huntingdon
Les Jardins-de-Napierville 27,870 803.07 km2 (310.07 sq mi) 34.7 Napierville
Roussillon 171,443 423.82 km2 (163.64 sq mi) 404.5 Saint-Constant
Vaudreuil-Soulanges 149,349 855.56 km2 (330.33 sq mi) 174.6 Vaudreuil-Dorion

Equivalent territory

Equivalent Territory (ET) Population
Canada 2016 Census[3]		 Land Area Density
(pop. per km2)		 Seat of ET
Agglomeration of Longueuil 415,347 282.21 km2 (108.96 sq mi) 1,471.80 Longueuil

Native Reserves

The population of both of these reserves are majority-Mohawk, one of the historic Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois League. Kahnawake was established south of Montreal in 1719 as a mission village. Akwesasne was established upriver by Mohawk leaders and their families in the mid-18th century, accompanied by French Jesuit missionaries. Akwesasne spans the boundaries of Canada and the United States, extending across the St. Lawrence River into New York State, where it is referred to as the St. Regis Reservation.

Major communities

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Montérégie, Quebec (Code 2435) and Quebec (Code 24) (table). Census Profile". Canada 2011 Census. Ottawa, Ontario: Statistics Canada. 2012-05-29. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  2. ↑ The Voyages of Jacques Cartier [Original Diary]. By H.P. Biggar. F.A. Acland Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty: Ottawa 1924. p.155
  3. 1 2 3 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census divisions, 2016 and 2011 censuses". Canada 2016 Census. Statistics Canada. 2018-02-08. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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