- Matagami
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City of Matagami
Ville de Matagami— Township — View of Matagami
Country Canada Province Quebec Region Nord-du-Québec Established 1963 Government - Type City - Mayor René Dubé - Governing Body Matagami City Council - MP - MPP Area - Total 66.85 km2 (25.8 sq mi) Population (2006)[1] - Total 1,555 - Density 23.3/km2 (60.3/sq mi) Time zone EST (UTC-5) - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) Postal code J0Y Area code(s) 819 Website www.matagami.com Coordinates: 49°45′0″N 77°37′0″W / 49.75°N 77.616667°W
Matagami (muh-TAW-guh-mee) is a small town in Quebec, Canada. It is located north of Amos, on Matagami Lake, at the northern terminus of Route 109 and the start of the James Bay Road (French: Route de la Baie James). The town had a population of 1,555 in the Canada 2006 Census.
Contents
History
Matagami was founded in 1963 with the development of mining in the area. Previously, it existed only as a very small prospecting camp accessible only by float plane, but after a viable mineral deposit was found in the late 1950s a permanent settlement began to be established. In 1962, the Quebec Toponomy Commission attempted to name the new community Mazenod after Charles-Joseph-Eugène de Mazenod, the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, but after a public outcry by local residents the community was named after Matagami Lake.
The name Matagami means "the confluence of waters" in the Cree language.[1]
The first church service in Matagami was held on 17 April 1962.
Demographics
Population:[2]
- Population in 2006: 1555
- Population in 2001: 1939
- 2001 to 2006 population change: -19.8 %
- Population in 1996: 2243
- Population in 1991: 2467
Total private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 656 (total: 797)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 1 %
- French as first language: 98 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 1 %
Economy
The two primary employers in the city are Xstrata and Domtar. Domtar has been in Matagami since 1988 when the company bought out Bisson & Bisson.[3]
Xstrata entered Matagami in 2006 when it acquired Falconbridge Ltd. In 2008, Xstrata put Perseverance, a zinc-copper volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposit, into production. Perseverance has a mine life of 5.5 years.[4] Since 1957 ten deposits, including the world class Matagami Lake deposit (25.6 million tonnes grading 8.2% Zn, 0.56% Cu, 20.91 g/t Ag, 0.41 g/t Au), have been discovered and mined out for a total of "44.4 million tonnes with a similar average grade."[5]
Further exploration is continuing in the camp through a 50-50 joint venture agreement between Xstrata and Donner Metals.[6] In late 2008, Donner Metals Ltd. announced that Xstrata Zinc Canada was in the process of completing a scoping study at their jointly owned Bracemac-McLeod property.[7] It is the nearest city to the Lac Doré Vanadium Deposit.[8]
The community is also one of the distribution points for goods and services to the James Bay Hydroelectric Project. As well, Matagami has a small tourism industry due to the popularity of fishing and hunting in northern Quebec. Hotel Bell and Hotel Matagami include full service bars.
Climate
Climate data for Matagami Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 6.1
(43.0)9.1
(48.4)15.5
(59.9)28.7
(83.7)32.4
(90.3)32.8
(91.0)39.4
(102.9)36.7
(98.1)28.8
(83.8)23
(73)17.8
(64.0)13.5
(56.3)39.4
(102.9)Average high °C (°F) −13.4
(7.9)−10.2
(13.6)−3.1
(26.4)5.5
(41.9)14.7
(58.5)19.7
(67.5)23.1
(73.6)20.8
(69.4)14
(57)6.8
(44.2)−1.2
(29.8)−10.4
(13.3)5.5 Daily mean °C (°F) −20
(−4)−17.3
(0.9)−10.7
(12.7)−1
(30)7.7
(45.9)12.8
(55.0)16.1
(61.0)14.3
(57.7)8.8
(47.8)2.5
(36.5)−5.2
(22.6)−16.1
(3.0)−0.7 Average low °C (°F) −26.6
(−15.9)−24.3
(−11.7)−18.3
(−0.9)−7.5
(18.5)0.6
(33.1)5.8
(42.4)9
(48)7.8
(46.0)3.5
(38.3)−1.9
(28.6)−9.1
(15.6)−21.8
(−7.2)−6.9 Record low °C (°F) −43.2
(−45.8)−43.2
(−45.8)−44.1
(−47.4)−28.9
(−20.0)−18.3
(−0.9)−6
(21)−0.6
(30.9)−1.7
(28.9)−5.6
(21.9)−15.6
(3.9)−31.3
(−24.3)−42
(−44)−44.1
(−47.4)Precipitation mm (inches) 55
(2.17)34.1
(1.343)48.1
(1.894)55.4
(2.181)77.4
(3.047)101.1
(3.98)109.3
(4.303)110.2
(4.339)108.9
(4.287)86
(3.39)65.6
(2.583)54.5
(2.146)905.5
(35.65)Source: Environment Canada[9] Media
Matagami is served by a community radio station, CHEF-FM, as well as by a rebroadcaster of Première Chaîne's CHLM-FM.
Notable people
Matagami is the birthplace of Canadian swimmer Marianne Limpert, who won the silver medal in the 200m Individual Medley at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
References
- ^ Matagami :..:
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
- ^ Matagami
- ^ Xstrata Zinc Canada
- ^ Kaiser Bottom-Fish Online
- ^ Exploration
- ^ Bracemac-McLeod
- ^ "Apella Resources reports on exploration effors at Lac Dore North Vanadium Project". Proactive Investors UK. 2 December 2009. http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/10881/apella-resources-reports-on-exploration-efforts-at-lac-dore-north-vanadium-project-10881.html. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
- ^ Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 27 April 2010
External links
Administrative divisions of Nord-du-Québec (Region 10)Regional county municipalities
and equivalent territoriesJamésie · Kativik · Eeyou Istchee
See also Kativik Regional Government · Cree Regional Authority (aboriginal administrations)Municipalities Lebel-sur-Quévillon · Waswanipi · Matagami · Chapais · Chibougamau · Mistissini · Waskaganish · Wemindji · Chisasibi · Baie-James · Inukjuak · Kuujjuaq · Puvirnituq · Salluit
Administrative divisions of Quebec Categories:- Cities and towns in Quebec
- Incorporated places in Nord-du-Québec
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