Fermont, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Fermont is a town in northeastern Quebec
, Canada
, near the Quebec-Labrador border about 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) from Labrador City on Route 389
, which connects to the Trans-Labrador Highway
(Route 500). It is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of Caniapiscau
.
Fermont (French contraction of "Fer Mont", meaning "Iron Mountain") was founded as a company town
in the early 1970s to exploit rich iron ore deposits from Mont Wright
, that is about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) to the west from the town site.
The town is notable for the huge self-contained structure containing apartments, stores, schools, bars, a hotel, restaurants, a supermarket and swimming pool which shelters a community of smaller apartment buildings and homes on its leeward side
. The structure was designed to be a windscreen to the rest of the town. It permits residents (other than mine workers) to never leave the building during the long winter, which usually lasts about seven months. The town, designed by Maurice Desnoyers and Norbert Schoenauer, was inspired by similar projects in Sweden designed by Ralph Erskine
, notably that of Svappavaara
, a copper mining town in Sweden
. The building measures 1.3 kilometres (4,265.1 ft) long and stands 50 metres (164 ft) high.
in the late 1960s, the Québec Cartier Mining Company
began to develop the Mont Wright Mine
. This was a large-scale project that involved mining, processing, and transporting iron ore. Some 1600 employees would be needed, and the town of Fermont was constructed to house them and their families. By the end of 1972, the first people settled there. That same year, the Fermont post office opened, and in 1974, the place was incorporated as Ville de Fermont.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1156 (total dwellings: 1436)
Mother tongue:
The local economy is entirely dependent on the Mont Wright and Fire Lake Mines owned by Québec Cartier Mining Company
. Over 80% of municipal revenues come from mining operations.
Average earnings for full-time workers was $63,982 in 2001, compared to $39,217 in Quebec as a whole. This went up to $70,102 in 2006, whereas the provincial average dropped to $37,722.
The mine product is shipped to Port-Cartier on the Cartier Railway
where it is converted to pellets. In 2006 the mine was affected by a labour dispute which lasted from early April to early June. It was amicably resolved with a six-year contract renewal.
(Köppen
Dfc) with long, severe winters and short, mild summers. Although overall not as heavy as in most other parts of the Labrador Peninsula
, snowfall is still heavy at around 2.9 metres (114.2 in) and average maximum depth of 0.85 metres (33.46 in) which is actually deeper than some other North Shore locations with heavier snowfall like Sept Îles.
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...
, near the Quebec-Labrador border about 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) from Labrador City on Route 389
Quebec route 389
Quebec's Route 389 connects Route 138 adjacent to Baie-Comeau with the Newfoundland and Labrador border, connecting with the Trans-Labrador Highway to Wabush and Labrador City, and beyond to Goose Bay...
, which connects to the Trans-Labrador Highway
Trans-Labrador Highway
The Trans-Labrador Highway is a Canadian highway located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the primary public road in Labrador and one of the few in that part of the province....
(Route 500). It is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of Caniapiscau
Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Caniapiscau is a regional county municipality in northeastern Quebec, Canada. The regional county municipality seat is Fermont. It is located in the northwest corner of the Côte-Nord region of Quebec. It has a land area of and a 2006 census population of 3,948 inhabitants, two-thirds of whom lived...
.
Fermont (French contraction of "Fer Mont", meaning "Iron Mountain") was founded as a company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
in the early 1970s to exploit rich iron ore deposits from Mont Wright
Mont Wright, Quebec
Mont Wright is a mountain in Fermont, Quebec, a site of major iron ore mining operations since the 1970s by Québec Cartier Mining Company. It is located in Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality....
, that is about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) to the west from the town site.
The town is notable for the huge self-contained structure containing apartments, stores, schools, bars, a hotel, restaurants, a supermarket and swimming pool which shelters a community of smaller apartment buildings and homes on its leeward side
Windward and leeward
Windward is the direction upwind from the point of reference. Leeward is the direction downwind from the point of reference. The side of a ship that is towards the leeward is its lee side. If the vessel is heeling under the pressure of the wind, this will be the "lower side"...
. The structure was designed to be a windscreen to the rest of the town. It permits residents (other than mine workers) to never leave the building during the long winter, which usually lasts about seven months. The town, designed by Maurice Desnoyers and Norbert Schoenauer, was inspired by similar projects in Sweden designed by Ralph Erskine
Ralph Erskine (architect)
Ralph Erskine, CBRE, RFS, ARIBA was an architect and planner who lived and worked in Sweden for most of his life.-Upbringing and influences :...
, notably that of Svappavaara
Svappavaara
Svappavaara is a locality situated in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 394 inhabitants in 2005. It is a mining village and the mine was closed in 1983, but enrichment of iron ore from the mine at Kiruna is still going on...
, a copper mining town in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The building measures 1.3 kilometres (4,265.1 ft) long and stands 50 metres (164 ft) high.
History
Following the depletion of the Jeannine Lake Mine at GagnonGagnon, Quebec
Gagnon, Quebec is a ghost town on Barbel Lake, formerly a mining town, in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. Formerly an incorporated municipality, it is now part of the unorganized territory of Rivière-Mouchalagane....
in the late 1960s, the Québec Cartier Mining Company
Québec Cartier Mining Company
Québec Cartier Mining Company was one of the leading producers of iron ore products in North America, now part of ArcelorMittal.The company was founded in the late 1950s by multiple Canadian and American investors, based in Quebec, Canada. The first open pit mine was located in Lac-Jeanine, Quebec....
began to develop the Mont Wright Mine
Mont Wright, Quebec
Mont Wright is a mountain in Fermont, Quebec, a site of major iron ore mining operations since the 1970s by Québec Cartier Mining Company. It is located in Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality....
. This was a large-scale project that involved mining, processing, and transporting iron ore. Some 1600 employees would be needed, and the town of Fermont was constructed to house them and their families. By the end of 1972, the first people settled there. That same year, the Fermont post office opened, and in 1974, the place was incorporated as Ville de Fermont.
City Council
The city council is composed of a mayor and six city councilors. The current mayor is Lise Pelletier, and the councilors are Dave Bouchard, Janelle Gauthier, Claude Meilleur, Brigitte Poitras, Martin St-Laurent and Yan St-Pierre.Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 2633 (2001 to 2006 population change: -9.8 %)
- Population in 2001: 2918
- Population in 1996: 3234
- Population in 1991: 3735
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1156 (total dwellings: 1436)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 2.3 %
- French as first language: 96.6 %
- English and French as first language: 0.4 %
- Other as first language: 0.8 %
Economy
Québec Cartier Mining Company
Québec Cartier Mining Company was one of the leading producers of iron ore products in North America, now part of ArcelorMittal.The company was founded in the late 1950s by multiple Canadian and American investors, based in Quebec, Canada. The first open pit mine was located in Lac-Jeanine, Quebec....
. Over 80% of municipal revenues come from mining operations.
Average earnings for full-time workers was $63,982 in 2001, compared to $39,217 in Quebec as a whole. This went up to $70,102 in 2006, whereas the provincial average dropped to $37,722.
The mine product is shipped to Port-Cartier on the Cartier Railway
Cartier Railway
The Cartier Railway is a privately owned railway that operates 260 miles of track in the Canadian province of Québec. It is operated by the Cartier Railway Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arcelor Mittal, formerly Québec Cartier Mining Company...
where it is converted to pellets. In 2006 the mine was affected by a labour dispute which lasted from early April to early June. It was amicably resolved with a six-year contract renewal.
Climate
Fermont has a harsh subarctic climateSubarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfc) with long, severe winters and short, mild summers. Although overall not as heavy as in most other parts of the Labrador Peninsula
Labrador Peninsula
The Labrador Peninsula is a large peninsula in eastern Canada. It is bounded by the Hudson Bay to the west, the Hudson Strait to the north, the Labrador Sea to the east, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the south-east...
, snowfall is still heavy at around 2.9 metres (114.2 in) and average maximum depth of 0.85 metres (33.46 in) which is actually deeper than some other North Shore locations with heavier snowfall like Sept Îles.
