Verchères is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in Montérégie, Quebec, located on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 5,759.
Verchères | |
|---|---|
 Statue honouring heroine Madeleine de Verchères. | |
 Location within Marguerite-D'Youville RCM. | |
  Verchères Location in southern Quebec.  Verchères Verchères (Quebec)  Verchères Verchères (Canada) | |
| Coordinates: 45°47′N 73°21′W / 45.783°N 73.350°W[1] | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Montérégie |
| RCM | Marguerite-D'Youville |
| Constituted | September 18, 1971 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Alexandre Bélisle |
| • Federal riding | Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères |
| • Prov. riding | Verchères |
| Area | |
• Total | 85.20 km2 (32.90 sq mi) |
| • Land | 72.63 km2 (28.04 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[4] | |
• Total | 5,759 |
| • Density | 79.3/km2 (205/sq mi) |
| • Pop 2016-2021 |  1.3% |
| • Dwellings | 2,453 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Postal code(s) | |
| Area codes | 450 and 579 |
Highways  A-30 |  R-132 |
| Website | www |
History
editIn the 17th century, the settlement at Verchères was the scene of an Iroquois raid that was apparently thwarted by the ingenuity of a 14-year-old girl named Madeleine (now known as Madeleine de Verchères). A cast-iron statue of Madeleine de Verchères stands today by the former location of the settlement stronghold on the shore of the Saint-Lawrence river.
In French, the word Verchères can be used as an adjective to describe a specific type of rowboat invented in Verchères at the end of the 19th century, i.e. chaloupe verchères. A specimen of the rowboat is on permanent outdoor display during the summer and fall at the Parc Jean-Marie Moreau across from the town office.
The motto of Verchères is In Tenebris Lumen Rectis Corde. The streets of Verchères are mostly named after the patronyms of residing families but also after local people who rose to celebrity in Canadian history.
Geography
editVerchères is located about 40 km east of Montréal. The municipality is traversed by Road 132, an important road that runs along the St. Lawrence River and connects several municipalities along the south shore. The river plays a significant role in the economy of Verchères, offering picturesque views and opportunities for recreational activities.
The terrain is relatively flat, typical of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands, with some gentle elevations and wppded areas. The landscape of Verchères is typically rural, with farmland, natural areas and residential zones.
Demographics
editPopulation
edit| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,759 (-1.3% from 2016) | 5,835 (+2.5% from 2011) | 5,692 (+8.6% from 2006) |
| Land area | 72.63 km2 (28.04 sq mi) | 72.57 km2 (28.02 sq mi) | 73.27 km2 (28.29 sq mi) |
| Population density | 79.3/km2 (205/sq mi) | 80.4/km2 (208/sq mi) | 77.7/km2 (201/sq mi) |
| Median age | 41.8 (M: 42.4, F: 43.2) | 40.8 (M: 40.8, F: 40.9) | 40.7 (M: 40.1, F: 41.3) |
| Private dwellings | 2,453 (total) | 2,440 (total) | 2,406 (total) |
| Median household income | $90,000 | $75,955 | $68,946 |
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Language
edit| Canada Census Mother Tongue - Verchères, Quebec[10] | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Total | French
|
English
|
French & English
|
Other
| |||||||||||||
| Year | Responses | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | |||||
2021
|
5,760
|
5,550 | 96.4% | 60 | 1.0% | 50 | 0.9% | 75 | 1.3% | |||||||||
2016
|
5,770
|
5,590 | 96.9% | 65 | 1.1% | 25 | 0.4% | 75 | 1.3% | |||||||||
2011
|
5,675
|
5,545 | 97.7% | 60 | 1.1% | 25 | 0.4% | 45 | 0.8% | |||||||||
2006
|
5,185
|
5,035 | 97.1% | 40 | 0.8% | 20 | 0.4% | 90 | 1.7% | |||||||||
2001
|
4,730
|
4,650 | 98.3% | 30 | 0.6% | 10 | 0.2% | 40 | 0.9% | |||||||||
1996
|
4,825
|
4,760 | n/a | 98.7% | 40 | n/a | 0.8% | 0 | n/a | 0.0% | 25 | n/a | 0.5% | |||||
Notable people
edit- Jean Blouf, pioneer of Verchères
- Joseph Coulon de Jumonville whose death while a prisoner of George Washington ignited the French and Indian War theater of the Seven Years' War
- Louis Coulon de Villiers who is the only officer to whom Washington ever surrendered.
- François Coulon de Villiers another of the Coulon brothers who would later be Alcalde of New Orleans, Louisiana (New Spain)
- Bernard Landry former Premier of Quebec .
- Lynda Lemay, songwriter and singer.
- Calixa Lavallée, composer of O Canada.
- Pierre Bouchard, Montreal Canadiens retired former professional hockey player.
- Alexandre Beaudoin, fingerprint scientist
- Joseph Bailly, fur trader and first permanent Euro-American settler in northwest Indiana. His homestead is a part of Indiana Dunes National Park.
Panorama
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 65404". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
- ^ a b Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire: Verchères
- ^ Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: VERCHÈRES--LES PATRIOTES (Quebec)
- ^ a b 2021 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Verchères, Quebec
- ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
External links
edit Media related to Verchères at Wikimedia Commons