Boucherville, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Boucherville is a city
in the Montérégie
region in Quebec
, Canada
. It is a suburb of Montreal
on the South shore
of the Saint Lawrence River
.
Boucherville is part of both the urban agglomeration of Longueuil
and Montreal Metropolitan Community regional government.
, for whom the city was later named. Pierre Boucher came from Mortagne-au-Perche
, France
. After having lived in Quebec City
and Trois-Rivières
, Boucher moved to the Percées Islands by the shores of Saint Lawrence River
, where he founded Boucherville.
The first church of the village of Boucherville was built in 1670. This church, made of wood
, was eventually replaced in 1712 by a building made of brick
, which was in turn replaced by the current Sainte-Famille Church in 1801.
Many families would leave Boucherville in the 18th century to found the communities of Sainte-Julie
and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville.
The village was severely damaged by a fire in 1843.
The municipality of the parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville was established in 1845. This large territory included the village of Boucherville. In 1856, Sainte-Famille de Boucherville was divided into two separate municipalities: the parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville and the village of Boucherville.
The village Boucherville was to become an important vacation resort by the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. People from Montreal could access the village by train or ferry.
Boucherville experienced signicant growth after World War II
. This expansion was confirmed by the construction of the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel.
The parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville ceded portions of its territory to Saint-Hubert
in 1877, to Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville in 1950 and to the village of Boucherville in 1956.
The village of Boucherville gained the status of city in 1957.
In 1963, the city of Boucherville amalgamated the parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville. This brought Boucherville to its current city limits
.
After the 2002 municipal mergers
, Boucherville ceased to exist as a municipality and became a borough of Longueuil
. It has since then demerged on January 1, 2006 after a referendum
was held on June 20, 2004.
Today, Boucherville has more than 40,000 inhabitants and a big industrial park. In Trois-Rivieres, there is museum named after Pierre Boucher at the Séminaire Saint-Joseph
.
The Quartier des villes et provinces de France neighbourhood is located between the streets de Normandie, Gay-Lussac, Ampère and boulevard Montarville. All the streets and parks in this neighborhood are named after provinces of France
. The neighboorhood is essentially composed of separate or semi-detached
houses.
Old Boucherville is the original section of the city that contains the former village and Sainte-Famille Church. The neighborhood is located between Saint-Lawrence River, the boulevards du Fort Saint-Louis, de Montarville et de Montbrun. Many of the buildings there are officially classified as historic momuments.
The industrial section of Boucherville covers the western part of the city; from Autoroute 20
all the way to Longueuil
. This section is divided into 3 industrial parks. Although these parks were inaugurated in the 1960s, it was during the last two decades that their expansion has been the greatest. In the early 1980s, they were little more 100 companies and 6 000 jobs scattered in the industrial section. Today, they are 600 companies and 15 000 jobs in various sectors. Additionally, the industrial section is home to 2 research centres.
The Seigneurie is a residential neighbourhood located between the boulevards Fort Saint-Louis and de Mortagne, the street de Brouage and Industriel boulevard. The neighborhood was built in the early 1960s. The shopping mall Carrefour de la Seigneurie dominated the commercial sector of the area with its Dominion supermarket, a branch of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
, a convenience store, a pharmacy and a medical clinic. Today this mall has been eclipsed by younger malls such as the Carrefour de la Rive Sud. The neighborhood is served by two francophone
primary schools: De la Broquerie and Pierre-Boucher.
The Le domaine Sabrevois neighbourhood was built in the early 1970s. It is located east of de Montarville boul., between the streets Samuel de Champlain and Jacques-Cartier.
of Rona
, a Canadian distributor and retailer in hardware, home improvement and gardening products, founded in the town in 1939.
"Têtes à claques
", a French language
internet phenomenon, is also based in the city of Boucherville.
With the increasing price of houses, upscale residences have become less and less affordable in Boucherville in recent years. As such, Boucherville has begun to experience a slowdown in its population growth.
. 94% of its residents speak French as their first language. Less than 2% of the entire population is not white, and almost 94% of the population is Roman Catholic.
Mother tongue language (2006)
on the Boucherville Islands is a Quebec National Park located in the Saint Lawrence River
facing the rest of the city. They are uninhabited but serve as a natural/recreational area for residents and tourists.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in the Montérégie
Montérégie
Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion....
region in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is a suburb of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
on the South shore
South Shore (Montreal)
The South Shore is the general term for the suburbs of Montreal, Quebec located on the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River opposite the Island of Montreal. The South Shore is located within the Quebec administrative region of Montérégie....
of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
.
Boucherville is part of both the urban agglomeration of Longueuil
Urban agglomeration of Longueuil
The urban agglomeration of Longueuil was created on January 1, 2006 as a result of the de-amalgamation process brought upon by the Charest government...
and Montreal Metropolitan Community regional government.
History
Boucherville was originally founded as a seigneurial parish in 1667 by Pierre BoucherPierre Boucher
Pierre Boucher and later Pierre Boucher de Boucherville, born and baptized 1 August 1622 in Mortagne-au-Perche, died 19 April 1717 at the age of 95 at Boucherville, came to Canada from France in 1635 with his father...
, for whom the city was later named. Pierre Boucher came from Mortagne-au-Perche
Mortagne-au-Perche
Mortagne-au-Perche is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-Heraldry:-Demographic evolution:* 1962: 3909* 1968: 4322* 1975: 4877* 1982: 4851* 1990: 4584* 1999: 45131962 population without double counting-People:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After having lived in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
, Boucher moved to the Percées Islands by the shores of Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
, where he founded Boucherville.
The first church of the village of Boucherville was built in 1670. This church, made of wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, was eventually replaced in 1712 by a building made of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
, which was in turn replaced by the current Sainte-Famille Church in 1801.
Many families would leave Boucherville in the 18th century to found the communities of Sainte-Julie
Sainte-Julie, Quebec
Sainte-Julie , is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada, east of Montreal in the Regional County Municipality of Lajemmerais. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 29,079. Ste. Julie was named the best town to live in, in Québec for 2009...
and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville.
The village was severely damaged by a fire in 1843.
The municipality of the parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville was established in 1845. This large territory included the village of Boucherville. In 1856, Sainte-Famille de Boucherville was divided into two separate municipalities: the parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville and the village of Boucherville.
The village Boucherville was to become an important vacation resort by the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. People from Montreal could access the village by train or ferry.
Boucherville experienced signicant growth after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This expansion was confirmed by the construction of the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel.
The parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville ceded portions of its territory to Saint-Hubert
Saint-Hubert, Quebec
Saint-Hubert is a borough in the city of Longueuil, located in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada. It had been a separate city prior to January 1, 2002, when it along with several other neighbouring south shore municipalities were merged into Longueuil. According to the Quebec Statistics...
in 1877, to Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville in 1950 and to the village of Boucherville in 1956.
The village of Boucherville gained the status of city in 1957.
In 1963, the city of Boucherville amalgamated the parish Sainte-Famille de Boucherville. This brought Boucherville to its current city limits
City limits
The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...
.
After the 2002 municipal mergers
Municipal reorganization in Quebec
The most recent episode of municipal reorganization in Quebec, Canada, was undertaken in 2002 by the Parti Québécois Government of Quebec, headed by Premier Lucien Bouchard and his successor Bernard Landry....
, Boucherville ceased to exist as a municipality and became a borough of Longueuil
Longueuil, Quebec
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
. It has since then demerged on January 1, 2006 after a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
was held on June 20, 2004.
Today, Boucherville has more than 40,000 inhabitants and a big industrial park. In Trois-Rivieres, there is museum named after Pierre Boucher at the Séminaire Saint-Joseph
Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières
The Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières is a private scholar institution in the Quebec region of Mauricie. Located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, it is, within the unique Quebec education system, a secondary school...
.
Neighbourhoods
The Harmonie neighborhood is located between the boulevards de Mortagne, de Montarville, de Montbrun and de Normandie. Its development is fairly recent and is essentially residential with many upscale houses. Many park and green spaces decorate the neighborhood. The multifunctional centre of Boucherville is also there.The Quartier des villes et provinces de France neighbourhood is located between the streets de Normandie, Gay-Lussac, Ampère and boulevard Montarville. All the streets and parks in this neighborhood are named after provinces of France
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
. The neighboorhood is essentially composed of separate or semi-detached
Semi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
houses.
Old Boucherville is the original section of the city that contains the former village and Sainte-Famille Church. The neighborhood is located between Saint-Lawrence River, the boulevards du Fort Saint-Louis, de Montarville et de Montbrun. Many of the buildings there are officially classified as historic momuments.
The industrial section of Boucherville covers the western part of the city; from Autoroute 20
Quebec Autoroute 20
Autoroute 20 is a major Quebec Autoroute, following the Saint Lawrence River through one of the more densely-populated parts of Canada, and is part of the Trans-Canada Highway. At , it is the longest Autoroute in Quebec...
all the way to Longueuil
Longueuil, Quebec
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
. This section is divided into 3 industrial parks. Although these parks were inaugurated in the 1960s, it was during the last two decades that their expansion has been the greatest. In the early 1980s, they were little more 100 companies and 6 000 jobs scattered in the industrial section. Today, they are 600 companies and 15 000 jobs in various sectors. Additionally, the industrial section is home to 2 research centres.
The Seigneurie is a residential neighbourhood located between the boulevards Fort Saint-Louis and de Mortagne, the street de Brouage and Industriel boulevard. The neighborhood was built in the early 1960s. The shopping mall Carrefour de la Seigneurie dominated the commercial sector of the area with its Dominion supermarket, a branch of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of Canada's chartered banks, fifth largest by deposits. The bank is headquartered at Commerce Court in Toronto, Ontario. CIBC's Institution Number is 010, and its SWIFT code is CIBCCATT....
, a convenience store, a pharmacy and a medical clinic. Today this mall has been eclipsed by younger malls such as the Carrefour de la Rive Sud. The neighborhood is served by two francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
primary schools: De la Broquerie and Pierre-Boucher.
The Le domaine Sabrevois neighbourhood was built in the early 1970s. It is located east of de Montarville boul., between the streets Samuel de Champlain and Jacques-Cartier.
Economy
Boucherville is the headquartersHeadquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
of Rona
Rona (company)
Rona Inc. is a Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home improvement and gardening products. Rona was founded in 1939. Rona operates a network of some 700 stores and is the leading distributor and retailer in its market with approximately 51,594 employees. The Rona network represents...
, a Canadian distributor and retailer in hardware, home improvement and gardening products, founded in the town in 1939.
"Têtes à claques
Têtes à claques
Têtes à claques is a French-language humour website created on August 16, 2006. Over one million short videos are watched per day, making it one of the most popular francophone websites in Quebec and Canada. As of March 2011, there are 184 videos...
", a French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
internet phenomenon, is also based in the city of Boucherville.
Population
Population trend| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 39,062 | 7.7% |
| 2001 | 36,253 | 3.6% |
| 1996 | 34,989 | 3.5% |
| 1991 | 33,796 | N/A |
With the increasing price of houses, upscale residences have become less and less affordable in Boucherville in recent years. As such, Boucherville has begun to experience a slowdown in its population growth.
Language
Boucherville is one of the most homogeneous cities in the Greater Montreal AreaGreater Montreal Area
Greater Montreal is one of the two metropolitan communities of Quebec.Greater Montreal is the most populous metropolitan area in Québec. As of 2009, Statistics Canada identifies Montréal's Census Metropolitan Area as Canada's second most populous with a population of 3,859,318...
. 94% of its residents speak French as their first language. Less than 2% of the entire population is not white, and almost 94% of the population is Roman Catholic.
Mother tongue language (2006)
| Language | Population | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French | 36,040 | 93.6% |
| English | 765 | 2.0% |
| Both English and French | 120 | 0.3% |
| French and a non-official language | 80 | 0.2% |
| English and a non-official language | 15 | ~ |
| English, French and a non-official language | ~ | ~ |
| Italian | 455 | 1.2% |
| Arabic | 170 | 0.4% |
| Spanish | 135 | 0.4% |
| Portuguese | 115 | 0.3% |
| German | 80 | 0.2% |
| Chinese, n.o.s. | 75 | 0.2% |
| Creole | 70 | 0.2% |
| Greek | 70 | 0.2% |
Parks
The Îles-de-Boucherville National ParkÎles-de-Boucherville National Park
Îles-de-Boucherville National Park is a national park of Quebec, Canada.-External links:* - official site...
on the Boucherville Islands is a Quebec National Park located in the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
facing the rest of the city. They are uninhabited but serve as a natural/recreational area for residents and tourists.
Notable residents
- Antoine Ménard, dit LafontaineAntoine Ménard, dit LafontaineAntoine Ménard, dit Lafontaine was a building contractor and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Boucherville in 1744...
(1744–1825), building contractor, political figure and grandfather of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine - Toussaint CharbonneauToussaint CharbonneauToussaint Charbonneau was a French-Canadian explorer and trader, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He is also known as the husband of Sacagawea.-Early years:...
, member of the American Lewis and Clark ExpeditionLewis and Clark ExpeditionThe Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
to the Pacific Ocean, and husband of SacagaweaSacagaweaSacagawea ; was a Lemhi Shoshone woman, who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition, acting as an interpreter and guide, in their exploration of the Western United States... - Bonaventure Viger (1804–1877), French-Canadian who was part of the Lower Canada RebellionLower Canada RebellionThe Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
- Étienne DesmarteauEtienne DesmarteauCompetitor for CanadaÉtienne Desmarteau was a Canadian athlete, winner of the weight throwing event at the 1904 Summer Olympics...
(1873–1905), policeman and first Olympic medalist from Quebec (1904 Olympics) - François-Louis TremblayFrançois-Louis TremblayFrançois-Louis Tremblay is a Canadian short track speed skater and five-time Olympic medalist who competed at the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Winter Olympics....
, short track speed skater and Olympic medalist - Louis-Hippolyte LafontaineLouis-Hippolyte LafontaineSir Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine , 1st Baronet, KCMG was the first Canadian to become Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada and the first head of a responsible government in Canada. He was born in Boucherville, Lower Canada in 1807...
(1807–1864), former PremierJoint Premiers of the Province of CanadaJoint Premiers of the Province of Canada were the leaders of the Province of Canada, from the 1841 unification of Upper Canada and Lower Canada until Confederation in 1867....
of the Province of CanadaProvince of CanadaThe Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of... - Louis LacosteLouis LacosteLouis Lacoste was a Quebec notary and political figure. He was a Conservative member of the Senate of Canada from 1867 to 1878....
(1798–1878), notary and politician - Michel Beaudet, creator of Les Têtes à Claques
- Pierre BoucherPierre BoucherPierre Boucher and later Pierre Boucher de Boucherville, born and baptized 1 August 1622 in Mortagne-au-Perche, died 19 April 1717 at the age of 95 at Boucherville, came to Canada from France in 1635 with his father...
(1622–1717), founder of Boucherville - Stéphane QuintalStéphane QuintalStéphane Quintal is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for 16 seasons. He currently works in the NHL's disciplinary office.-Playing career:...
, former ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player - Ginette RenoGinette RenoGinette Reno, OC, CQ is a French-Canadian author, composer, singer, and actress. She is known by the nickname .Born as Ginette Reynault in Montreal, Quebec, she played the role of Maria Barberini in the independent film Mambo Italiano and played the mother in Léolo.She has recorded in both...
, Singer and actress - Jonathan DuhamelJonathan DuhamelJonathan Duhamel is a Canadian poker professional from Boucherville, Quebec, best known as the winner of the Main Event at the 2010 World Series of Poker . He is the first Canadian player to capture the Main Event bracelet....
, winner of the 2010 World Series of Poker2010 World Series of PokerThe 2010 World Series of Poker was the 41st annual World Series of Poker , held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and ran from May 28 to July 17. There were 57 bracelet events, culminating in the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship that began on July 5...
Main Event