La Malbaie

La Malbaie
City

Coat of arms
Motto: In Fide Plantati et Radicati

Location within Charlevoix-Est RCM
La Malbaie

Location in central Quebec.

Coordinates: 47°39′N 70°09′W / 47.650°N 70.150°W / 47.650; -70.150Coordinates: 47°39′N 70°09′W / 47.650°N 70.150°W / 47.650; -70.150[1]
Country  Canada
Province  Quebec
Region Capitale-Nationale
RCM Charlevoix-Est
Constituted December 1, 1999
Government[2]
  Mayor Michel Couturier
  Federal riding Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix
  Prov. riding Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré
Area[2][3]
  Total 695.90 km2 (268.69 sq mi)
  Land 459.34 km2 (177.35 sq mi)
Population (2011)[3]
  Total 8,862
  Density 19.3/km2 (50/sq mi)
  Pop 2006–2011 Decrease 1.1%
  Dwellings 4,455
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s) G5A
Area code(s) 418 and 581
Highways Route 138
Route 362
Website www.ville.lamalbaie.qc.ca

La Malbaie is a municipality in the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, situated on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Malbaie River. It was formerly known as Murray Bay.

The development of tourism in this area is said to date back to 1760, when the Scottish feudal lords John Nairne and Malcolm Fraser began receiving visitors to the region at their estates.

The Fairmont Manoir Richelieu hotel and Casino de Charlevoix are both located in the neighbourhood and former municipality of Pointe-au-Pic.

History

In 1608, Samuel de Champlain visited the area. He could not find suitable anchorage for his ship in the bay and therefore named it Malle Baye (archaic French for "bad/poor bay"), a name further justified when during low tide the bay dried up and his ships ran aground.[1]

In 1761, two Scottish officers of the British Army were attracted to the beauty of the place, and they each sought to obtain a concession. John Nairne (1731–1802) received the western shores of the Malbaie River, that he thereafter called the Seignory of Murray Bay that included the settlement of La Malbaie. Malcolm Fraser (1733–1815) was granted the eastern part that became the Seignory of Mount Murray. They also renamed the bay, the settlement, and river after James Murray (1721–1794), British General and successor of Wolfe. Although this name never received official approval, in the 18th and 19th centuries Murray Bay had become the internationally accepted toponym, but La Malbaie remained in local use.[1]

Murray Bay wharf, circa 1912

In 1774, the Parish of Saint-Étienne was formed. In 1845, the place was first incorporated as the Municipality of La Malbaie, but it was abolished in 1847. It was reestablished in 1855 as the Parish Municipality of Saint-Étienne-de-Murray-Bay. In 1896, the village itself separated from the parish municipality and was incorporated as the Village Municipality of La Malbaie.[1]

In 1957, Saint-Étienne-de-Murray-Bay was renamed to Saint-Etienne-de-la-Malbaie. A year later, the Village Municipality of La Malbaie changed status and became the Town of La Malbaie, that annexed the parish municipality in 1965.[1]

On February 15, 1995, the Town of La Malbaie and the Village Municipality of Pointe-au-Pic merged to form the Town of La Malbaie–Pointe-au-Pic. On December 1, 1999, the Municipalities of Rivière-Malbaie and Saint-Fidèle, the Village Municipality of Cap-à-l'Aigle, the Parish Municipality of Sainte-Agnès, and the Town of La Malbaie–Pointe-au-Pic were amalgamated to form the new Town of La Malbaie.[1]

La Malbaie is the seat of the judicial district of Charlevoix.[4]

Seismic hazard

La Malbaie is located in the Charlevoix Seismic Zone, which is the most active seismic zone in eastern Canada. La Malbaie is notable for having an extremely high seismic risk, although a significant earthquake has not occurred in the region recently.[5]

Demographics

Population

Historical Census Data – La Malbaie, Quebec[6]
YearPop.±%
1996 9,274    
YearPop.±%
2001 9,143−1.4%
YearPop.±%
2006 8,959−2.0%
YearPop.±%
2011 8,862−1.1%

Language

List of mayors

The church of La Malbaie near city hall
View of Malbaie from the Manoir Richelieu

The mayors of La Malbaie were:[8]

Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu is a hotel under the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts banner. Originally built in 1899, the current building was completed in 1929 to replace the first building destroyed by a fire.[9]

The building was acquired by Fairmont in 1998 and re-opened under the current banner in 1999.[10]

Famous people from La Malbaie

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "La Malbaie (Ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  2. 1 2 Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire – Répertoire des municipalités: La Malbaie
  3. 1 2 "(Code 2415013) Census Profile". 2011 census. Statistics Canada. 2012.
  4. Territorial Division Act. Revised Statutes of Quebec D-11.
  5. "Earthquake zones in Eastern Canada". Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  6. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  7. Canada 2006 Census
  8. "Liste des conseils municipaux" (in French). Ville de La Malbaie. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  9. http://www.fairmont.com/richelieu-charlevoix/hotel-history/
  10. http://www.fairmont.com/richelieu-charlevoix/hotel-history/

External links

Media related to La Malbaie at Wikimedia Commons

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