Clermont, Capitale-Nationale, Quebec

Clermont
—  City  —
Coat of arms
Clermont
Coordinates: 47°41′N 70°14′W / 47.683°N 70.233°W / 47.683; -70.233
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Capitale-Nationale
Regional county	Charlevoix-Est
Settled	1800
Incorporated	February 16, 1935
Government[1]
- Mayor	Jean-Pierre Gagnon
- Federal riding	Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord
- Prov. riding	Charlevoix
Area[1][2]
- Total	52.99 km2 (20.5 sq mi)
- Land	49.59 km2 (19.1 sq mi)
Population (2006)[2]
- Total	3,041
- Density	61.3/km2 (158.8/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	G4A
Area code(s)	418 and 581
Website	www.ville.clermont.qc.ca

Clermont is a ville in the Canadian province of Quebec, and the seat of government for the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality. It is located on the southern banks of the Malbaie River.

History

Around 1800, the first settlers moved into the area, living primarily of agriculture. Followed by a saw and flour mill, tradeshops, and stores, a settlement grew that was then known as Chute Nairne. At the close of the century, the place attracted attention for its hydro-electric potential, and by 1900, a dam was built across the Malbaie River, supplying electricity to La Malbaie and surrounding area.^[3]

In 1909, Rodolphe Forget founded the East Canada Power and Pulp Company, and wanting to profit from the phenomenal growth in the pulp and paper market, he built Chute Nairne's first paper mill in 1911. The industrial development changed the place from a rural and agricultural society to a rapidly growing urban community.^[3]

Félix-Antoine Savard, famous Quebecois author and at that time priest of the Parish of Saint-Étienne in La Malbaie, was also responsible for Chute Nairne. His parishioners there were upset about being left a bit to themselves and about being far away from the parish church. Savard, at the request of residents of Chute Nairne, petitioned the bishop of Chicoutimi, Charles Lamarche, to obtain permission for a new parish and church. The request was accepted on September 18, 1931, and the Parish of Saint-Philippe-de-la-Chute-Nairn was formed.^[3]

On February 16, 1935, the place separated from La Malbaie and was incorporated as a municipality, officially adopting the name Clermont for the new municipality. Félix-Antoine Savard greatly admired and paid tribute to Blaise Pascal who came from Clermont-Ferrand in France.^[3][4]

In 1949, Clermont changed its status to village and in 1967 to town.^[4]

Economy

Clermont's economy centres on the Abitibi-Bowater paper mill, formerly the Donohue mill that was originally founded in 1936 by the brothers Timothy and Charles Donohue and employed close to a thousand people in the 1970s..^[3]

Clermont is also the end of the Charlevoix Railway and therefore is an intermodal freight transport hub primarily for wood.

Demographics

Population trend:^[5]

• Population in 2006: 3041 (2001 to 2006 population change: -1.2 %)
• Population in 2001: 3078
• Population in 1996: 3225
• Population in 1991: 3385

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1309 (total dwellings: 1356)

Mother tongue:

• English as first language: 0.3 %
• French as first language: 99.4 %
• English and French as first language: 0.3 %
• Other as first language: 0 %

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ministère des Affaires Municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire - Répertoire des municipalités: Clermont
2. ^ ^{a b} Statistics Canada 2006 Census - Clermont community profile
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Informations municipales >> Historique de la ville" (in French). Ville de Clermont. http://www.ville.clermont.qc.ca/historique. Retrieved 2010-05-21. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Clermont (Ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/CT/toposweb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=14104. Retrieved 2010-05-21. 
5. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census

Coordinates: 47°41′00″N 70°14′00″W / 47.683338°N 70.233338°W / 47.683338; -70.233338