Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, Quebec

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours
Coordinates: 45°42′N 74°52′W / 45.7°N 74.867°W / 45.7; -74.867Coordinates: 45°42′N 74°52′W / 45.7°N 74.867°W / 45.7; -74.867
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Outaouais
Incorporation	March 7, 1918
Government
- Type	Municipality
- Mayor	Denis Beauchamp
Area[1]
- Total	265.75 km2 (102.6 sq mi)
- Land	264.53 km2 (102.1 sq mi)
Population (2006)[2]
- Total	275
- Density	1.0/km2 (2.6/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	J0V
Area code(s)	819
Website	www.ndbonsecours.com

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours is a municipality in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It is located along the Ottawa River, about 55 kilometres (34 mi) east of Gatineau. It is the least populated municipality in the Papineau Regional County Municipality.

The northern portion of the municipality is undeveloped wilderness, mostly part of the Kenauk Reserve. This 260 square kilometres (100 sq mi) protected wilderness domain was formerly known as "Reserve de la Petite Nation", but is now a privately-owned fish and game reserve of Château Montebello.^[3]

History

The area was part of the Petite-Nation Seigneury, formed in 1674 ^[4] and originally owned by François de Laval, the first bishop of New France. The seigneury was acquired in 1803 by Joseph Papineau, who became its first civilian lord, and later sold to his son Louis-Joseph Papineau.^[5]

The area became of interest economically when England was forced to rely on its colonies for wood for construction of its vessels during the Napoleonic blockade of 1807. It was full of oaks, pines, and maples regarding which Surveyor Joseph Bouchet wrote in 1815: "the terrain rises and is covered with wood of the best species: oaks are of high quality and particularly of large size, suitable for the construction of vessels."^[5]

In 1815 the original mission of Notre Dame de Bonsecours was created and in 1821 a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Bonsecours (Our Lady of Good Help) was constructed. On September 31, 1831, the bishop of Quebec Bernard-Claude Panet granted a petition signed by Denis-Benjamin Papineau and over 75 tenants for the formation of a parish. His decree called the new parish Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours-de-la-Petite-Nation and also recommended the people of Bonsecours to acquire the civil recognition of the Governor General of Canada, Lord Aylmer.^[5]

On June 18, 1845, the Governor General of the Provinces of Canada, Charles Metcalfe, enacted the establishment of local and municipal authorities in Lower Canada, including the Municipality of Petite-Nation which included the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours-de-la-Petite-Nation. However, this municipality was abolished in 1847.^[5]

On July 1, 1855, Queen Victoria sanctioned the Municipal Act which allowed the parish to get official civilian recognition, known as Parish Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours-de-la-Petite-Nation.^[4][5]

On August 22, 1878, Montebello separated from the parish municipality.

In 1918, the large rural and forested area of the parish municipality separated and formed the Parish Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours-Partie-Nord. In 1951, the Parish Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours became the Municipality of Fassett. And in 2003, the Parish Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours-Partie-Nord became the Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours.^[4]

Demographics

Population:^[6]

• Population in 2006: 275
• Population in 2001: 284
  • 2001 to 2006 population change: -3.2 %
• Population in 1996: 273
• Population in 1991: 248

Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 118

Languages:

• English as first language: 7 %
• French as first language: 82 %
• English and French as first language: 0 %
• Other as first language: 11 %

References

1. ^ Total area: Ministère des Affaires Municipales et Régions
   Land area: Statistics Canada 2006 Census
2. ^ Statistics Canada 2006 Census
3. ^ "Fairmont Kenauk Hotel History". http://www.fairmont.com/EN_FA/Property/KNK/AboutUs/HotelHistory.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/topos/carto.asp?Speci=379133&Latitude=45,7&Longitude=-74,86667&Zoom=1700. Retrieved 2008-10-20. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} Jacques Lamarche. "Historique" (in French). Municipalité de Notre-Dame de Bonsecours. http://www.ndbonsecours.com/fr/historique/historique.php. Retrieved 2008-10-20. 
6. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census