Macamic is a ville in northwestern Quebec, Canada, in the Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality. It covers 202 km² and had a population of 2,744 in the 2021 Canadian census. It is located on the shores of the namesake Lake Macamic.

Macamic
Motto(s): 
Vois juste, probité engendre honneur ("Do right, integrity begets honour")
Location within Abitibi-Ouest RCM
Location within Abitibi-Ouest RCM
Macamic is located in Western Quebec
Macamic
Macamic
Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 48°45′N 79°00′W / 48.750°N 79.000°W / 48.750; -79.000[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionAbitibi-Témiscamingue
RCMAbitibi-Ouest
Settled1913
ConstitutedMarch 6, 2002
Government
 • MayorLina Lafrenière
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Témiscamingue
 • Prov. ridingAbitibi-Ouest
Area
 • Total240.62 km2 (92.90 sq mi)
 • Land202.05 km2 (78.01 sq mi)
 • Urban
2.00 km2 (0.77 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3][4]
 • Total2,744
 • Density13.5/km2 (35/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,352
 • Urban density676.0/km2 (1,751/sq mi)
 • Pop (2016-21)
Decrease 0.3%
 • Dwellings
1,188
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code819
Highways R-101
R-111
R-393
Websitewww.villemacamic.qc.ca Edit this at Wikidata
Rue Principale

In addition to Macamic itself, the town's territory also includes the community of Colombourg.

History edit

Colonization began at the time when the National Transcontinental Railway running through the Abitibi region was completed. The first pioneers, arriving circa 1913, were originally from Saint-Ignace-du-Lac, Pierreville, Stanfold, Nicolet, and Shawinigan. They settled south of Lake Macamic and the new settlement took the lake's name, often written also as Makamik. In the Algonquin language, the name Makamik means "limping beaver", from makis (crippled or disabled) and amik (beaver).[1]

In 1914, Makamik had 100 residents. In 1915, the year the post office opened, it had grown to 300, and the following year, when the Parish of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste-de-Macamic was formed, there were 500 persons. By 1918, the population had jumped to 1750 and the area was incorporated as the United Township Municipality of Royal-Roussillon-et-Poularies, named after the Royal-Roussillon Regiment of Montcalm's army and after lieutenant-colonel François-Médard de Poularies, commander of this regiment.[1][5]

In 1919, the village itself separated from the united township and was incorporated as Village Municipality of Macamic, having a population of 2300 persons by 1920. In 1924, Poularies Township also separated from Royal-Roussillon-et-Poularies, which became the Parish Municipality of Royal-Roussillon-de-Macamic in 1952, and officially shortened to just Macamic in 1961.[1]

In 1955, the Village Municipality of Macamic changed its status to town (ville), and was regrouped with the Parish Municipality of Macamic on June 13, 2001, to form the new Town of Macamic. On March 2, 2002, the Municipality of Colombourg (incorporated in 1926) was merged into Macamic.[1]

Demographics edit

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Macamic had a population of 2,744 living in 1,142 of its 1,188 total private dwellings, a change of -0.3% from its 2016 population of 2,751. With a land area of 202.05 km2 (78.01 sq mi), it had a population density of 13.6/km2 (35.2/sq mi) in 2021.[3]


Canada census – Macamic community profile
20212016
Population2,744 (-0.3% from 2016)2,751 (+0.6% from 2011)
Land area202.05 km2 (78.01 sq mi)202.70 km2 (78.26 sq mi)
Population density13.6/km2 (35/sq mi)13.6/km2 (35/sq mi)
Median age43.6 (M: 43.6, F: 43.6)45.8 (M: 44.6, F: 46.8)
Private dwellings1,188 (total)  1,142 (occupied)1,179 (total) 
Median household income$73,500$62,763
References: 2021[6] 2016[7] earlier[8][9]
Historical census populations – Macamic
YearPop.±%
1921 1,104—    
1931 821−25.6%
1941 645−21.4%
1951 1,123+74.1%
1956 1,388+23.6%
1961 1,614+16.3%
YearPop.±%
1966 1,770+9.7%
1971 1,705−3.7%
1976 1,733+1.6%
1981 1,791+3.3%
1986 1,821+1.7%
1991 1,833+0.7%
YearPop.±%
1996 1,711−6.7%
2001 1,519−11.2%
2006 2,726+79.5%
2011 2,734+0.3%
2016 2,751+0.6%
2021 2,744−0.3%
Between 2001 and 2006, the parish of Macamic and the municipality of Colombourg merged with the city of Macamic.
Source: Statistics Canada

Mother tongue (2021):[3]

  • English as first language: 0.6%
  • French as first language: 98.9%
  • English and French as first language: 0.2%
  • Other as first language: 0.4%

Government edit

Municipal council (as of 2023):[10]

  • Mayor: Lina Lafrenière
  • Councillors: Gaétan Morin, Manon Morin, Cindy Boucher, Miriam Bruneau, Ghislain Brunet, Laurie Soulard

List of former mayors (since formation of current municipality):

  • Daniel Rancourt (2002–2013)
  • Claude Nelson Morin (2013–2017)
  • Lina Lafrenière (2017–present)

Political representation edit

Macamic federal election results[11]
Year Liberal Conservative Bloc Québécois New Democratic Green
2021 24% 303 16% 202 43% 538 6% 74 2% 27
2019 19% 272 30% 431 38% 556 7% 105 3% 43
Macamic provincial election results[12]
Year CAQ Liberal QC solidaire Parti Québécois
2018 43% 668 14% 220 16% 245 22% 344
2014 17% 265 36% 541 7% 104 36% 539

Federally, Macamic is part of the federal riding of Abitibi—Témiscamingue. In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the incumbent Sébastien Lemire of the Bloc Québécois was re-elected to represent the population Macamic in the House of Commons of Canada.

Provincially it is part of the riding of Abitibi-Ouest. In the 2022 Quebec general election the incumbent MNA Suzanne Blais, of the Coalition Avenir Québec, was re-elected to represent the population of Macamic in the National Assembly of Quebec.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Macamic (Ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  2. ^ a b "Macamic". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  3. ^ a b c d "Macamic (Code 2487058) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
  4. ^ a b "Macamic Quebec [Population centre] Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Les carillons" (in French). Ville de Macamic. Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  6. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  7. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  8. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  9. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  10. ^ https://www.villemacamic.qc.ca/fr/page/index.cfm?PageID=9
  11. ^ "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Macamic)". Elections Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  12. ^ "Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Macamic)". Elections Québec. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

External links edit