Morin-Heights, Quebec

Morin-Heights
Downtown Morin Heights
Coordinates: 45°54′N 74°15′W / 45.9°N 74.25°W / 45.9; -74.25
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Laurentides
Regional County	Les Pays-d'en-Haut
Settled	1850
Incorporated	July 1, 1855
Government
– Type	Municipality
– Mayor	Tim Watchorn
– Federal riding	Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel
– Prov. riding	Argenteuil
Area[1]
– Land	56.40 km2 (21.8 sq mi)
Population (2006)[1]
– Total	3,503
– Density	62.1/km2 (160.8/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	J0R
Area code(s)	450
Website	www.morinheights.com

Morin Heights Library

Morin-Heights is a town in the Laurentian Mountains region of Quebec, Canada. It is west of Saint-Sauveur and north of Lachute; municipally, it is within the Regional County Municipality of Les Pays-d'en-Haut.

It is primarily a tourist town, having a large ski hill (Ski Morin Heights) that is popular during the winter months and being on a recreational trailway (the Aerobic Corridor), which is used year-round.

Formerly located just south of the town was a recording studio, called Le Studio, which is now closed. The facility was used by numerous Canadian and international artists, including The Tragically Hip, Rush, Pilot, April Wine, Rainbow, Barenaked Ladies, Sting, The Police, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Bee Gees, Cat Stevens, and Lawrence Gowan.

History

The first European settlers arrived from Ireland around 1850, followed by French Canadians from Lachute, Saint-Jérôme and Saint-Eustache. In 1852, the Morin Township was formed and in 1855, the Township Municipality of Morin-Partie-Sud was established in a part of the township (the remaining part became Sainte-Adèle).^[2]

The township was named after its founder and 19th-century politician Augustin-Norbert Morin (1803-1865) who had at that point a huge farm of more than 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) on the banks of the Rivière du Nord, built around 1850-1860 and included a home, saw mill, and flour mill. An alternate, less accepted origin for the name Morin concerns an engineer named Morin who was dispatched by the provincial government to survey the region and had hired a Native American named Simon as guide, whose name was used to identify the river flowing through the township.^[2]

Until 1911, the territory had just the names of Bas-Morin or Morin Flats, name of the post office between 1875 and 1911, while the railway station was known as Morin Heights Station. In 1950, Morin-Partie-Sud changed its statutes and name to become the Municipality of Morin-Heights.^[2]

The town gained notoriety in 1994 when members of the Order of the Solar Temple took part in a mass suicide, after setting fire to the ski chalet they occupied in the community.

On March 12, 2008, a tragic roof collapse in the Gourmet du Village bakery warehouse killed three women. An excessive accumulation of snow was suspected to be the cause of the accident. The victims, Barbara Elliott, 54; Sharon Kirkpatrick, 62; and Marilyn Ofiaza, 46, were just three of a total of 40 people who were in the building at the time of the collapse. ^[3]

Demographics

Population:^[4]

• Population in 2006: 3503
  • 2001 to 2006 population change: 36.0 %
• Population in 2001: 2575
• Population in 1996: 2332
• Population in 1991: 1960

Total private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 1543 (total: 2041)

Home language:

• English: 26 %
• French: 71 %
• English and French: 2 %
• Non Official language only: 1 %

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Statistics Canada 2006 Census
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Morin-Heights (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/topos/carto.asp?Speci=42534&Latitude=45,9&Longitude=-74,25&Zoom=1700. Retrieved 2009-03-16. 
3. ^ "Co-workers pay tribute to roof collapse victims". CTV.ca. 03-013-2008. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080312/roof_collapse_080313/20080313?hub=TopStories. 
4. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census

External links

• Morin Heights municipal/community Web Site
• Morin Heights Historical Association

Coordinates: 45°54′N 74°15′W / 45.9°N 74.25°W / 45.9; -74.25