Nouvelle is a municipality in eastern Quebec, Canada, on the south shore of the Gaspé Peninsula at the mouth of the Nouvelle River, where the Restigouche River widens into Chaleur Bay.

Nouvelle
Saint-John-the-Evangelist Church in Nouvelle
Saint-John-the-Evangelist Church in Nouvelle
Location within Avignon RCM
Location within Avignon RCM
Nouvelle is located in Eastern Quebec
Nouvelle
Nouvelle
Location in eastern Quebec
Coordinates: 48°08′N 66°19′W / 48.133°N 66.317°W / 48.133; -66.317[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionGaspésie–
Îles-de-la-Madeleine
RCMAvignon
Settledlate 18th century
ConstitutedOctober 10, 1907
Government
 • MayorRachel Dugas
 • Federal ridingGaspésie—
Îles-de-la-Madeleine
 • Prov. ridingBonaventure
Area
 • Total236.48 km2 (91.31 sq mi)
 • Land234.66 km2 (90.60 sq mi)
Elevation7.00 m (22.97 ft)
Population
 (2011)[3]
 • Total1,689
 • Density7.3/km2 (19/sq mi)
 • Pop 2006-2011
Decrease 6.9%
 • Dwellings
935
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code(s)418 and 581
Highways R-132
Websitenouvellegaspesie.com

In addition to Nouvelle itself, the municipality also includes the communities of Allard, Brébeuf (Dugal), Drapeau, Miguasha, Miguasha-Ouest, Nouvelle-Ouest, and Provancher.

Nouvelle's graphic seal is a world globe overlaid by Eusthenopteron foordi, whose fossil discovery brought worldwide fame to the Miguasha National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the municipality. The seal's red and gray colours represent the colors of the rocks present on the fossil site.

History edit

Nouvelle was first settled by Acadians fleeing the deportation of 1755, fish merchants from Jersey, Channel Islands and some Irish. The name Nouvelle (French meaning "new") was used as early as the end of the 18th century and stood for the "new land" being made available west of the town that is now called Carleton-sur-Mer. It first appeared on documents in 1787 by the Jersey businessman Charles Robin and by Abbé Joseph Mathurin Bourg, the first Acadian priest.

In 1842, the geographic township of Nouvelle was proclaimed. In 1845, the township, which included the area now known as Escuminac, was first incorporated as the Municipality of Shoolbred. It was named after John Shoolbred, who was the first owner of the seignory granted there. In 1847, the municipality was abolished, but it re-established in 1855. From 1861, it was known as the Township Municipality of Nouvelle-et-Shoolbred.[1]

On July 1, 1869, the local mission was proclaimed as a parish, known as Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste (Saint John the Evangelist). In 1881, the post office opened, also designated as Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste.[1]

In 1907, the place separated from the township municipality and formed the Municipality of Nouvelle-et-Shoolbred-Partie-Nord-Est. It was renamed in 1912 to Municipality of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste, and on December 5, 1953, it was renamed again to the Municipality of Nouvelle. The same year, the post office name followed suit.[1]

Demographics edit

Canada census – Nouvelle community profile
20212011
Population1,782 (+6.0% from 2016)1,689 (-6.9% from 2006)
Land area234.66 km2 (90.60 sq mi)232.16 km2 (89.64 sq mi)
Population density7.6/km2 (20/sq mi)7.3/km2 (19/sq mi)
Median age50.4 (M: 49.6, F: 51.2)49.7 (M: 49.8, F: 49.6)
Private dwellings931 (total)  829 (occupied)935 (total) 
Median household income$63,200$41,737
References: 2021[5] 2011[6] earlier[7][8]
Historical Census Data - Nouvelle, Quebec
YearPop.±%
1921 1,780—    
1931 1,942+9.1%
1941 2,511+29.3%
1951 2,537+1.0%
1956 3,030+19.4%
1961 2,711−10.5%
YearPop.±%
1966 2,460−9.3%
1971 2,508+2.0%
1976 2,271−9.4%
1981 2,280+0.4%
1986 2,137−6.3%
1991 2,111−1.2%
YearPop.±%
1996 2,009−4.8%
2001 1,960−2.4%
2006 1,815−7.4%
2011 1,689−6.9%
2016 1,681−0.5%
2021 1,782+6.0%
Population figures based on revised counts.
Source: Statistics Canada[9][10]

Economy and tourism edit

 
Wind turbines blades on railroad near Nouvelle in 2019
 
Miguasha National Park
  • Fishing. The Rivière-Nouvelle ZEC (including "Petite rivière Nouvelle" and "ruisseau Mann"[1]) is world-renowned for its sea trout fly fishing and Atlantic salmon.[11]
  • Fossils. World class museum of natural history at the Miguasha National Park.
  • Miguasha beach. The word Miguasha comes from the Mi'kma "Mégueck Shawk" meaning longtime red, referring to the majestic red cliffs of the Bonaventure Formation[12]
  • Miguasha port facility offers yachting services and ferry service from July to September.[13]
  • 50+ Games. The 5th edition of the Jeux des 50 ans et plus de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine will take place here June 12–15, 2008.[14]

Recreation edit

Climate edit

Climate data for Nouvelle (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.5
(47.3)
11.1
(52.0)
17.0
(62.6)
27.5
(81.5)
33.0
(91.4)
33.5
(92.3)
34.5
(94.1)
35.0
(95.0)
32.0
(89.6)
23.9
(75.0)
17.8
(64.0)
12.8
(55.0)
35.0
(95.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −7.5
(18.5)
−5.0
(23.0)
0.8
(33.4)
7.1
(44.8)
15.1
(59.2)
20.6
(69.1)
23.6
(74.5)
22.9
(73.2)
17.3
(63.1)
10.6
(51.1)
3.0
(37.4)
−3.4
(25.9)
8.8
(47.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −12.3
(9.9)
−10.4
(13.3)
−4.3
(24.3)
2.5
(36.5)
9.3
(48.7)
14.7
(58.5)
17.9
(64.2)
17.2
(63.0)
12.0
(53.6)
6.1
(43.0)
−0.4
(31.3)
−7.4
(18.7)
3.7
(38.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −17.0
(1.4)
−15.8
(3.6)
−9.4
(15.1)
−2.1
(28.2)
3.4
(38.1)
8.7
(47.7)
12.1
(53.8)
11.4
(52.5)
6.6
(43.9)
1.6
(34.9)
−3.8
(25.2)
−11.3
(11.7)
−1.3
(29.7)
Record low °C (°F) −35.0
(−31.0)
−33.0
(−27.4)
−29.5
(−21.1)
−18.0
(−0.4)
−6.7
(19.9)
−2.5
(27.5)
2.2
(36.0)
−0.5
(31.1)
−5.6
(21.9)
−9.4
(15.1)
−20.0
(−4.0)
−28.5
(−19.3)
−35.0
(−31.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 73.3
(2.89)
49.8
(1.96)
58.4
(2.30)
59.1
(2.33)
82.4
(3.24)
85.8
(3.38)
100.0
(3.94)
88.4
(3.48)
73.0
(2.87)
88.0
(3.46)
84.9
(3.34)
70.2
(2.76)
913.3
(35.96)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 11.3
(0.44)
7.5
(0.30)
26.3
(1.04)
44.4
(1.75)
81.9
(3.22)
85.8
(3.38)
100.0
(3.94)
88.4
(3.48)
73.0
(2.87)
87.5
(3.44)
62.5
(2.46)
24.7
(0.97)
693.3
(27.30)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 62.0
(24.4)
42.3
(16.7)
32.1
(12.6)
15.2
(6.0)
0.5
(0.2)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.5
(0.2)
22.3
(8.8)
45.5
(17.9)
220.5
(86.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 11.3 9.5 9.7 11.4 12.9 12.2 13.4 12.3 12.8 13.1 13.0 11.0 142.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 1.7 1.8 3.9 8.9 12.7 12.2 13.4 12.3 12.8 13.0 9.2 3.5 105.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 10.8 8.3 6.4 3.1 0.14 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.05 0.11 4.3 8.9 42.1
Source: Environment Canada[4][15]

Education edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Nouvelle (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  2. ^ a b "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 06020". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  3. ^ a b "Nouvelle, Quebec (Code 2406020) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  4. ^ a b "Nouvelle, Quebec". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  5. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  6. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  7. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  8. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  9. ^ 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  10. ^ "1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical)". Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2). Statistics Canada: 76, 139. July 1973.
  11. ^ http://www.rivierenouvelle.com/fhtm/index.html Archived 2007-09-18 at the Wayback Machine ZEC Rivière-Nouvelle
  12. ^ Newly identified Carboniferous units (the Pointe Sawyer and Chemin-des-Pêcheurs formations) in the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec; implications regarding the evolution of the northwestern sector of the Maritimes Basin
  13. ^ http://www.tc.gc.ca/Quebec/EN/port/miguasha.htm Transport Canada
  14. ^ http://www.urlsgim.com/index.aspx?sec=6 Jeux des 50 ans et plus
  15. ^ "Nouvelle, Quebec". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved 10 June 2015.

External links edit