Palmarolle is a municipality in northwestern Quebec, Canada, in the Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality. It covers 117.87 km2 and had a population of 1,386 as of the Canada 2021 Census. It is considered to have the best agricultural land of the entire Abitibi region.[1]

Palmarolle
Downtown Palmarolle
Downtown Palmarolle
Location within Abitibi-Ouest RCM
Location within Abitibi-Ouest RCM
Palmarolle is located in Western Quebec
Palmarolle
Palmarolle
Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 48°40′N 79°12′W / 48.667°N 79.200°W / 48.667; -79.200[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionAbitibi-Témiscamingue
RCMAbitibi-Ouest
Settled1911
ConstitutedApril 14, 1930
Government
 • MayorVéronique Aubin
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Témiscamingue
 • Prov. ridingAbitibi-Ouest
Area
 • Total135.37 km2 (52.27 sq mi)
 • Land117.87 km2 (45.51 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total1,386
 • Density11.8/km2 (31/sq mi)
 • Pop (2016-21)
Decrease 1.6%
 • Dwellings
649
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code819
Highways R-390 R-393
Websitepalmarolle.ao.ca Edit this at Wikidata

History edit

The area began to be colonized in 1911 when the township was surveyed. The completion of the National Transcontinental Railway at La Sarre and Macamic led to further waves of development with the arrival of new settlers in 1916, 1918, and 1929. Following the pattern of other places in the Abitibi, the settlement was named after a historic military figure, François-Charles Bertrand de Palmarole or Palmarolle (1714 ‑ 1760), lieutenant of the La Sarre Regiment and Knight of the Order of Saint Louis. In 1921, the parish was formed and in 1930, the place was incorporated as a municipality.[1]

Demographics edit

Historical census populations – Palmarolle
YearPop.±%
1931 699—    
1941 2,063+195.1%
1951 2,439+18.2%
1956 1,875−23.1%
1961 1,360−27.5%
1966 1,481+8.9%
YearPop.±%
1971 1,325−10.5%
1976 1,296−2.2%
1981 1,445+11.5%
1986 1,457+0.8%
1991 1,571+7.8%
1996 1,561−0.6%
YearPop.±%
2001 1,527−2.2%
2006 1,453−4.8%
2011 1,465+0.8%
2016 1,409−3.8%
2021 1,386−1.6%
Source: Statistics Canada

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 595 (total dwellings: 649)[3]

Mother tongue (2021):[3]

  • English as first language: 0.4%
  • French as first language: 98.6%
  • English and French as first language: 0.4%
  • Other as first language: 0.7%

Government edit

Municipal council (2023):[4]

  • Mayor: Véronique Aubin
  • Councillors: Josée Aubin, Yan Lavoie, Nicole Hébert-Trottier, Lyne Vachon, Jeanot Goulet, Sabrina Turgeon

List of former mayors:[5]

  • Amédée Rodrigue (1930–1934)
  • Omer Tousignant (1934–1936)
  • Aldephonse Dallaire (1937–1943)
  • Robert Pelletier (1943–1945)
  • Stanislas Pelletier (1945–1951)
  • Emilien Bégin (1951–1964)
  • Pierre Aubin (1964–1973)
  • Marcel Caron (1973–1997, 2009–2017)
  • Pierre Vachon (1997–2009)
  • Louisa Gobeil (2017–2020)
  • Aline Bégin (interim, 2020–2021)
  • Véronique Aubin (2021–present)

Notable people edit

  • Henri Tousignant (born August 20, 1937), a Liberal party member of the Canadian House of Commons
  • Rogatien Vachon (born September 8, 1945), a professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Palmarolle (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  2. ^ a b "Palmarolle". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  3. ^ a b c d "Palmarolle (Code 2487025) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
  4. ^ "Conseil municipal - Palmarolle". palmarolle.ao.ca. MRC d'Abitibi-Ouest. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Magistrature - Palmarolle". palmarolle.ao.ca. MRC d'Abitibi-Ouest. Retrieved 10 July 2023.

External links edit