Otter Lake, Quebec

Otter Lake
—  Municipality  —
Otter Lake
Coordinates: 45°51′N 76°26′W / 45.85°N 76.433°W / 45.85; -76.433Coordinates: 45°51′N 76°26′W / 45.85°N 76.433°W / 45.85; -76.433
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Outaouais
RCM	Pontiac
Incorporation	January 1, 1877
Government[1]
- Type	Municipality
- Mayor	Graham Hawley
- Ridings:
- Federal	Pontiac
- Provincial	Pontiac
Area[1][2]
- Total	496.21 km2 (191.6 sq mi)
- Land	462.00 km2 (178.4 sq mi)
Population (2006)[2]
- Total	972
- Density	2.1/km2 (5.4/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	J0X 2P0
Access Routes	Route 301 Route 303
Website	www.otterlakequebec.ca

Otter Lake is a municipality in the Outaouais region, northwest of Gatineau, part of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It was known as Leslie-Clapham-et-Huddersfield until 2004.

Geography

Population centres within the municipality include: Klukeville, Lauréat, Omer, Otter Lake, and Sandy Creek.

The village of Otter Lake is surrounded by Hughes Lake to the west, Lac de la Ferme (Farm Lake) to the east, McCuaig Lake to the south, and Lac à la Loutre (Otter Lake) to the north.^[3]

History

In 1793, Huddersfield Township was established, named after its namesake in West Yorkshire, England. In 1866, Leslie Township was established, named after James Leslie (1786-1873), a Canadian senator.^[3]

Also in 1866, the Otter Lake post office opened and the village that formed around the post office also came to have the same name. Since then, Philemon Wright, pioneer of the logging industry in Ottawa, operated a wood depot at Otter Lake. The industry has played and continues to play a leading role in the early and contemporary history of the village.^[3]

In 1877, the United Township Municipality of Leslie-Clapham-et-Huddersfield was formed from its constituent townships. While Clapham Township was not officially established until 1920, it was already planned in the second half of the 19th century and named after a village north of Bedford, England. The united municipality was established because it was more advantageous to hold a municipal status than remain unorganized territory.^[3]

In 2004 the United Township Municipality of Leslie-Clapham-et-Huddersfield became the Municipality of Otter Lake.^[3]

Demographics

Population:^[4]

• Population in 2006: 972 (2001 to 2006 population change: 10.8 %)
• Population in 2001: 877
• Population in 1996: 1002
• Population in 1991: 923

Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 424

Mother tongues:^[2]

• English as first language: 49 %
• French as first language: 51 %

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Otter Lake" (in French). Répertoire des municipalités. Ministère des Affaires Municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire. http://www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/repertoire-des-municipalites/fiche/municipalite/84055/. Retrieved 2011-06-22. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Otter Lake community profile". 2006 Census data. Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2484055&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&Data=Count&SearchText=Otter&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=. Retrieved 2011-06-22. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Otter Lake" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/topos/carto.asp?Speci=379126&Latitude=45,85&Longitude=-76,43333&Zoom=1700. Retrieved 2008-06-25. 
4. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census