Rouyn-Noranda (2021 population 42,313) is a city on Osisko Lake in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of Quebec, Canada.

Rouyn-Noranda
Ville de Rouyn-Noranda
Poisson vollant site with the Rouyn sector in the background
Poisson vollant site with the Rouyn sector in the background
Official logo of Rouyn-Noranda
Motto(s): 
"Fierté, Solidarité, Savoir"
("Pride, Solidarity, Knowledge")
Location in province of Quebec
Location in province of Quebec
Location with surrounding municipalities
Location with surrounding municipalities
Rouyn-Noranda is located in Western Quebec
Rouyn-Noranda
Rouyn-Noranda
Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 48°14′N 79°01′W / 48.233°N 79.017°W / 48.233; -79.017[1][2]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionAbitibi-Témiscamingue
RCMNone
Founded1926
ConstitutedJanuary 1, 2002
Government
 • MayorDiane Dallaire
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Témiscamingue
 • Prov. ridingAbitibi-Est / Rouyn-
Noranda–Témiscamingue
Area
 • City
5,963.57 km2 (2,302.55 sq mi)
 • Urban
24.15 km2 (9.32 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3][5]
 • City
42,313
 • Density7.1/km2 (18/sq mi)
 • Urban
25,515
 • Urban density1,056.5/km2 (2,736/sq mi)
 • Change
2016-2021
Decrease 0.0%
 • Dwellings
18,851
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code(s)819/873
Highways R-101
R-117 (TCH)
R-391
R-393
Websitewww.ville.
rouyn-noranda.qc.ca

The city of Rouyn-Noranda is a coextensive with a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec of the same name. Their geographical code is 86.

History

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City Hall

The city of Rouyn (named for Jean-Baptiste Rouyn, a captain in the Régiment Royal Roussillon of Louis-Joseph de Montcalm)[6] appeared after copper was discovered in 1917. Noranda (a contraction of "North Canada") was created later around the Horne mine and foundry. Both were officially constituted as cities in 1926, then merged in 1986.[citation needed]

 
Rouyn Noranda seen from space

Since 1966, Rouyn and Noranda constitute the capital of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. It is also the seat of Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) since 1983.[citation needed]

The population tends to increase or decrease dramatically depending on the economic situation. The city's population dropped by 5 per cent between the 1996 and 2001 census, before increasing slightly by 0.8 per cent for the 2006 census. This more closely parallels the demographic patterns of Northern Ontario than those of Quebec during this period. Rouyn-Noranda also has other cultural affiliations with Northern Ontario, being the only municipality in Quebec that holds a membership in the Francophone Association of Municipalities of Ontario.[citation needed]

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda was established on February 9, 1974, by Pope Paul VI, with Mgr. Jean-Guy Hamelin as its first bishop. It is part of the Metropolitan Province of Gatineau. Mgr. Dorylas Moreau was appointed as bishop on November 30, 2001, replacing Mgr. Hamelin. On September 15, 2003, a decree moved the cathedral from Saint-Michel-Archange Church to Saint-Joseph Church.[citation needed]

Geography

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The Horne foundry seen from Chadbourne hill

As part of the 2000–2006 municipal reorganization in Quebec, on January 1, 2002, the municipalities (including unorganized territories) of the former Rouyn-Noranda Regional County Municipality amalgamated into the new City of Rouyn-Noranda. These were: Arntfield, Bellecombe, Beaudry, Cadillac, Cléricy, Cloutier, D'Alembert, Destor, Évain, Lac-Montanier, Lac-Surimau, McWatters, Mont-Brun, Montbeillard, Rapides-des-Cèdres, Rollet, and the former Rouyn-Noranda.[citation needed]

Demographics

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In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Rouyn-Noranda had a population of 42,313 living in 19,282 of its 20,874 total private dwellings, a change of -0% from its 2016 population of 42,334. With a land area of 5,963.57 km2 (2,302.55 sq mi), it had a population density of 7.1/km2 (18.4/sq mi) in 2021.[7] Immigrants from Africa have revived the town's population.[8]


Canada census – Rouyn-Noranda community profile
202120162011
Population42,313 (+0.0% from 2016)42,334 (+3.2% from 2011)41,012 (+2.7% from 2006)
Land area5,963.57 km2 (2,302.55 sq mi)6,010.50 km2 (2,320.67 sq mi)6,010.50 km2 (2,320.67 sq mi)
Population density7.1/km2 (18/sq mi)7.0/km2 (18/sq mi)6.8/km2 (18/sq mi)
Median age42 (M: 40.8, F: 43.2)41.9 (M: 40.8, F: 43.2)41.6 (M: 40.7, F: 42.5)
Private dwellings19,280 (total)  18,851 (total)  19,224 (total) 
Median household income$62,994$54,132
References: 2021[9] 2016[10] 2011[11] earlier[12][13]
Historical Census Data - Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
YearPop.±%
1991 28,958—    
1996 28,819−0.5%
2001 28,270−1.9%
2006 39,924+41.2%
2011 41,012+2.7%
2016 42,334+3.2%
2021 42,313−0.0%
[14][5]

Native French speakers comprise about 95% of the city's population.

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec[14]
Census Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2021
41,935
39,975   0.9% 95.3% 750   7.4% 1.8% 385   32.8% 0.9% 675   26.2% 1.6%
2016
42,085
40,355   4.1% 95.9% 810   3.1% 1.9% 290   18.4% 0.7% 535   21.5% 1.3%
2011
40,200
38,700   1.9% 96.3% 835   15.2% 2.1% 245   0.0% 0.6% 420   11.6% 1.0%
2006
39,435
37,990   41.8% 96.3% 725   2.0% 1.8% 245   40.0% 0.6% 475   111.1% 1.2%
2001
27,930
26,790   0.1% 95.9% 740   28.2% 2.7% 175   39.7% 0.6% 225   33.8% 0.8%
1996
28,490
26,830 n/a 94.2% 1,030 n/a 3.6% 290 n/a 1.0% 340 n/a 1.2%
First language of Rouyn-Noranda's Citizens (2021)[15]
Language Population Percentage (%)
French 39,975 95.3%
English 750 1.8%
Both English and French 385 0.9%
French and a non-official language 115 0.3%
Arabic 210 0.5%
Spanish 130 0.3%

Economy

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The unemployment rate of the region was 6.6% in 2016.[16]

Propair has its headquarters on the property of Rouyn-Noranda Airport.[17]

Glencore Copper Canada currently operates the Horne smelter. The smelter is the world's largest processor of electronic scrap containing copper and precious metals. It opened in 1927 at the site of the Horne copper mine. The mine was closed in 1976, but the smelter remained in production.[18]

Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue is based in Rouyn-Noranda, with campuses elsewhere[where?].

Arts and culture

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A street corner in Downtown Rouyn-Noranda
 
Rouyn-Noranda Synagogue

Since 1982, the city has been host to the International Cinema Festival of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and since 2003, the host of the Emerging Music Festival in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.[citation needed]

Notable cultural figures from Rouyn-Noranda include singer-songwriter Richard Desjardins, actors Paule Baillargeon, Anne Dorval and Bruce Greenwood, and science fiction writer Éric Gauthier.[citation needed]

Rouyn-Noranda is known as "La Capitale Nationale du Cuivre" (or the National Copper Capital) for its extensive copper deposits and mining/smelting activities.[citation needed]

Attractions

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St. George Russian Orthodox Church of Rouyn is a Russian Orthodox Church, with traditional architecture. It was erected between 1955 and 1957 by the Russian community, at the time about twenty families. A guided tour explains the celebration of Mass and the history of immigrant communities and their role in local history. This distinctive church paints a vivid picture of the lives of the people who suffered through the First and Second World Wars and finally came to live in Canada.[citation needed]

Sports

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The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have played in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League since the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser relocated to the town in 1996. Rouyn-Noranda has produced a large number of NHLers for its size including former NHL stars Pierre Turgeon, Stephane Matteau, Sylvain Turgeon, Dale Tallon, Pit Martin, Jacques Laperrière, Jacques Cloutier, Dave Keon and Kent Douglas, the last two both members of the 1967 Stanley Cup Champion Toronto Maple Leafs. Former NHL players Réjean Houle, Éric Desjardins and the Bordeleau Brothers (Christian, Jean Paul and Paulin) also hail from the city. Rouyn-Noranda native Marc-André Cliche played in his first NHL game in 2010. Their most fierce rivals are the Val-d'Or Foreurs, which constitute the "Battle of the 117" since both cities are connected by Route 117.[citation needed]

Government

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Federally, Rouyn-Noranda is part of the Abitibi—Témiscamingue riding. The MP is Sébastien Lemire of the Bloc Québécois.[citation needed]

Provincially, Rouyn-Noranda is part of the Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue riding. The MNA is Émilise Lessard-Therrien of Québec solidaire.[citation needed]

The city's mayor is Diane Dallaire.[when?][citation needed]

Rouyn-Noranda is also a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec, coextensive with the city of Rouyn-Noranda. Its geographical code is 86.[citation needed]

Rouyn-Noranda is the seat of the judicial district of the same name.[19]

Infrastructure

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The city is served by the Rouyn-Noranda Airport and has a small public transit system of four bus routes serving the urban area.[citation needed]

The primary highways through the city are the north–south Route 101 and the east–west Route 117, which is part of the Trans-Canada Highway system.[citation needed]

Media

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Almost all media in Rouyn-Noranda and the nearby city of Val-d'Or serves both cities. Although the cities are far enough apart that radio and television stations in the area serve the cities from separate transmitters, almost every broadcast station in either city has a rebroadcaster in the other city. The only nominal exceptions are the cities' separate Énergie stations, although at present even these stations share the majority of their broadcast schedule.[citation needed]

Notable people

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See also

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References and notes

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  1. ^ "Rouyn-Noranda". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 325861". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  3. ^ a b c "Rouyn-Noranda". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  4. ^ "2021 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec". Archived from the original on 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
  5. ^ a b "Census Profile, 2021 Census: Rouyn-Noranda, Ville [Census subdivision], Quebec and Rouyn-Noranda [Census agglomeration]". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  6. ^ Gourd (1988), p. 1890.
  7. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  8. ^ Onishi, Norimitsu (30 March 2024). "How African Immigrants Have Revived a Remote Corner of Quebec". New York Times. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  9. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  10. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  11. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  12. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  13. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
  15. ^ 2021 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
  16. ^ "Portrait de l'emploi et du marché du travail > Emploi-Québec". Archived from the original on 2018-10-18. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  17. ^ "Contact Us Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine." Propair. Retrieved on November 4, 2010. "Rouyn-Noranda Headquarters 30, rue Pronovost Rouyn-Noranda airport Rouyn-Noranda (Québec) J9X 5B7 CA ." Address in French Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine: "Rouyn-Noranda Siège social 30, rue Pronovost Aéroport de Rouyn-Noranda Rouyn-Noranda (Québec) J9X 5B7 CA "
  18. ^ Horne Smelter, Glencore Canada
  19. ^ Territorial Division Act Archived 2018-09-26 at the Wayback Machine. Revised Statutes of Quebec D-11.

Sources

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  • Gourd, Benoit-Beaudry. "Rouyn-Noranda", in The Canadian Encyclopedia, Volume 3. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishing, 1988.

Further reading

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  • Rodrigue, Patrick. "Rouyn-Noranda, la Mecque du rock 'n' roll" & "Un Musée du rock 'n' roll pourrait naître à Rouyn-Noranda", Abitibi-Express, vol. 1, no 44 (31 mai 2011), p. 4. N.B.: Paired ill. articles, each individually titled and separately accessible also on the newspaper's Internet site, describing Rouyn-Noranda as one of the two contrasting poles, the other being Montréal, of popular music in Québec.
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