Chapais, Quebec

Chapais is a community in the Canadian province of Quebec, located on Route 113 near Chibougamau in the Jamésie region. It is surrounded by, but not a part of, the local municipality of Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government. The community was first settled in 1929, when prospector Léo Springer discovered deposits of copper, silver and gold in the area, and was incorporated as a city in 1955. It was named for Thomas Chapais.[1]

Chapais
City
Chapais
Coordinates: 49°46′55″N 74°51′16″W[1]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionNord-du-Québec
RCMNone
Settled1929
ConstitutedNovember 16, 1955
Named forThomas Chapais[1]
Government
 • MayorSteve Gamache
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
 • Prov. ridingUngava
Area
 • Total62.40 km2 (24.09 sq mi)
 • Land63.64 km2 (24.57 sq mi)
 There is an apparent contradiction between two authoritative sources
Population
 (2011)[3]
 • Total1,610
 • Density25.3/km2 (66/sq mi)
 • Change (2006–11)
1.2%
 • Dwellings
728
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
G0W 1H0
Area code(s)418 and 581
ClimateDfc
Websitewww.villedechapais.com

History

Opémisca Copper Mines operated the community's mine until 1991. More recently, with the closure of the mines the community's primary industry has been forestry, and the community opened the first cogeneration plant in Quebec to produce electricity from the sawmill's waste matter.

On the night of January 1, 1980, at 1:30 a.m., 48 people were killed when a fire destroyed the Opémiska Community Hall. Fifty others were injured and rushed to Chibougamau hospital. This fire was the worst to occur in Quebec for more than 40 years. The fire started in wreaths of dried branches and other Christmas decorations, and the ensuing chaos that followed quickly blocked access to the main entrance. Several people managed to escape in time, but the tragedy left deep scars in the community.[4]

Chapais had a population of 1,610 in the Canada 2011 Census.

A crater on Mars is named after this community.

Demographics

Population:[5]

  • Population in 2006: 1610
    • 2006 to 2011 population change: -1.2%
  • Population in 2006: 1630
  • Population in 2001: 1795
  • Population in 1996: 2030
  • Population in 1991: 2391

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 674 (total dwellings: 728)

Mother tongue:

  • English as first language: 0.6%
  • French as first language: 94%
  • English and French as first language: 0%
  • Other as first language: 5.4%

Climate

Chapais has a marginal subarctic climate[6] (Koppen: Dfc) just a shade colder than the humid continental (Koppen: Dfb) areas to the south. Winters are bitterly cold, but summers are relatively warm during daytime, but nights remain relatively cool. As such the yearly mean is just above freezing. Summers have high rainfall and winters are quite snowy.

Climate data for Chapais (1981−2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.5
(47.3)		 9.0
(48.2)		 16.0
(60.8)		 28.0
(82.4)		 31.5
(88.7)		 34.5
(94.1)		 35.0
(95.0)		 33.3
(91.9)		 29.0
(84.2)		 24.4
(75.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 11.0
(51.8)		 35.0
(95.0)
Average high °C (°F) −13.5
(7.7)		 −10.3
(13.5)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 13.9
(57.0)		 20.0
(68.0)		 22.2
(72.0)		 20.5
(68.9)		 14.2
(57.6)		 6.7
(44.1)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −9.3
(15.3)		 5.4
(41.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −18.8
(−1.8)		 −16.2
(2.8)		 −9.5
(14.9)		 −0.3
(31.5)		 8.1
(46.6)		 14.1
(57.4)		 16.4
(61.5)		 15.0
(59.0)		 9.7
(49.5)		 3.1
(37.6)		 −5.2
(22.6)		 −13.6
(7.5)		 0.2
(32.4)
Average low °C (°F) −24.2
(−11.6)		 −22.2
(−8.0)		 −15.5
(4.1)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 2.2
(36.0)		 8.2
(46.8)		 10.5
(50.9)		 9.5
(49.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 −8.5
(16.7)		 −18
(0)		 −4.9
(23.2)
Record low °C (°F) −43.3
(−45.9)		 −42.8
(−45.0)		 −38
(−36)		 −27.2
(−17.0)		 −16.1
(3.0)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 −6
(21)		 −13.3
(8.1)		 −30
(−22)		 −42
(−44)		 −43.3
(−45.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 61.9
(2.44)		 39.4
(1.55)		 50.3
(1.98)		 56.6
(2.23)		 82.4
(3.24)		 100.1
(3.94)		 124.3
(4.89)		 100.2
(3.94)		 129.7
(5.11)		 93.9
(3.70)		 93.2
(3.67)		 63.5
(2.50)		 995.5
(39.19)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 3.2
(0.13)		 2.4
(0.09)		 8.8
(0.35)		 28.7
(1.13)		 75.5
(2.97)		 100.1
(3.94)		 124.3
(4.89)		 100.2
(3.94)		 128.6
(5.06)		 70.9
(2.79)		 36.7
(1.44)		 5.0
(0.20)		 684.4
(26.93)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 58.8
(23.1)		 37.0
(14.6)		 41.6
(16.4)		 29.5
(11.6)		 6.9
(2.7)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 1.2
(0.5)		 23.0
(9.1)		 56.5
(22.2)		 58.5
(23.0)		 313
(123.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 18.1 13.6 12.1 12.3 14.8 16.3 17.4 17.1 20.2 19.8 19.9 19.3 200.9
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 0.55 1.1 2.4 6.7 13.6 16.3 17.4 17.1 20.1 14.5 6.1 1.3 117.15
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 18.0 12.9 10.4 7.9 2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.47 7.4 16.1 18.5 94.17
Mean monthly sunshine hours 90 122 170 164 202 234 233 208 113 84 46 66 1,732
Source 1: Environment Canada[7]
Source 2: The Weather Network(sunshine data only).[8]

References
  1. Reference number 12293 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (in French)
  2. Geographic code 99020 in the official Répertoire des municipalités (in French)
  3. "(Code 2499020) Census Profile". 2011 census. Statistics Canada. 2012.
  4. 1 janvier 1980 - Incendie meurtrier à Chapais
  5. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  6. "Chapais, Quebec Climate Summary". Weatherbase. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  7. "Chapais 2". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  8. Statistics, Accessed 10 March 2012.
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