Mont-Laurier, Quebec
From Freepedia
Mont-Laurier is a town in the North West of Quebec, Canada located on the banks of the Rivière du Lièvre, a tributary of the Ottawa River. The capital of the Haute-Laurentides was founded in 1885 by Solime Alix. In 2003, it was merged with neighbours Des Ruisseaux and Saint-Aimé-du-Lac-des-Iles moving its population to 14,186. Mont-Laurier the Regional County Municiaplity seat of Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality.
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History
Rapide-de-l'Orignal was founded at the current location of Mont-Laurier, on the Lievre River in 1885 by Solime Alix. The name was changed in 1909 to honor Canada prime minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. In 1940, a road from Mont-Laurier to Abitibi was built and jump-started the trucking industry.
Law and government
The current mayor of Mont-Laurier is Michel Adrien. He was elected in 2003. It is notable that Mr. Adrien, a black man of Haitian origin in an overwhelmingly white town, was elected with a 80% majority. A city council is also in place.
motto: Laurus elationis praemium
Geography
Mont-Laurier is located on the banks of the Rivière du Lièvre, A tributary of the Ottawa River, about 200 km from its mouth. Its location in the Laurentian range of mountains confers it an altitude of 244 m above sea level. It is surrounded by numerous lakes and mixed forest that support hunting, fishing and leisure, but also logging.
It sits on the halfway point of the major roadway from Montreal to Abitibi, the 117 road, about 250 km Northwest of Montreal. The 309 road follows the Lievre and leads to [Hull, Québec|[Hull]] Ottawa 216 km to the South.
Economy
Mont-Laurier is the administrative and commercial center of the Haute-Lievre area. Many are employed by the various government, schools and the hospital. Most of the economic activity is generated by tourism, road transport and forestry. There is some agriculture, mostly dairy farming, and transformation, with three cheese makers.
Notable Natives
- Sylvain Pagé, member of the National Assembly
- Yvon Charbonneau, Union leader
Reference
- Coursol, Luc, Histoire de Mont-Laurier, 1940-1990, Les éditions Luc Coursol, 1991. ISBN 2-9802465-0-6
