Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Rouyn-Noranda is a city on Osisko Lake
in northwestern Quebec
, Canada
.
The city of Rouyn-Noranda is coextensive with a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec
of the same name. Their geographical code is 86.
The city of Rouyn (named for Jean-Baptiste Rouyn, a captain in the Royal-Roussillon regiment of Montcalm
) appeared after copper
was discovered in 1917. Noranda (a contraction of "North Canada") was created later around the Horne mine
and foundry
. Both were officially constituted as cities in 1926, then merged in 1986.
Since 1966, Rouyn and Noranda constitute the capital of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue
region. It is also the seat of public university UQAT
since 1983.
The population tends to increase or decrease dramatically depending on the economic situation. The city's population dropped by 5 per cent between the 1996 and 2001 census, before increasing slightly by 0.8 per cent for the 2006 census. This more closely parallels the demographic patterns of Northern Ontario
than those of Quebec during this period. Rouyn-Noranda also has other cultural affiliations with Northern Ontario, being the only municipality in Quebec that holds a membership in the Francophone Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
The Roman Catholic diocese of Rouyn-Noranda was established on November 29, 1973, with Mgr. Jean-Guy Hamelin as its first bishop. It is part of the Metropolitan Province of Gatineau. Mgr. Dorylas Moreau was appointed as bishop on November 30, 2001, replacing Mgr. Hamelin. On September 15, 2003, a decree moved the cathedral from Saint-Michel-Archange church to Saint-Joseph church.
In the municipal reorganizations
of January 1, 2002, Rouyn-Noranda amalgamated with the municipalities of the former Regional County Municipality of Rouyn-Noranda, including Arntfield, Bellecombe, Cadillac, Cléricy, Cloutier, D'Alembert, Destor, Évain, Lac-Montanier, Lac-Surimau, McWatters, Mont-Brun, Montbeillard, Rapides-des-Cèdres and Rollet.
riding. Its MP is currently Christine Moore
of the New Democratic Party
. Provincially, Rouyn-Noranda is part of the Rouyn-Noranda—Témiscamingue
riding, which is currently represented by Daniel Bernard
of the Quebec Liberal Party.
The city's mayor is Mario Provencher.
Rouyn-Noranda is also a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec
, coextensive with the city of Rouyn-Noranda. Its geographical code is 86.
Rouyn-Noranda is the seat of the judicial district
of the same name.
have played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
since the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser
relocated to the town in 1996. Rouyn-Noranda has produced a high amount of NHL
ers for its size with former NHL stars Pierre Turgeon
, Sylvain Turgeon
, Dale Tallon
, Pit Martin
, Jacques Laperrière
, Jacques Cloutier
, Dave Keon
and Kent Douglas,both members of the 1967 Stanley Cup Champions. Réjean Houle
and Éric Desjardins
all hailing from the city. Marc-André Cliche
played in his first NHL game in 2010.Also played in the NHL are the Bordeleau Brothers, Christian, Jean Paul and Paulin.
has its headquarters on the property of Rouyn-Noranda Airport
.
Xstrata
Copper Canada currently operates the Horne smelter.
Since 1982, the city has been host to the International Cinema Festival of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and since 2003, the host of the Emerging Music Festival in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Notable cultural figures from Rouyn-Noranda include singer-songwriter Richard Desjardins
, actors Paule Baillargeon
, Anne Dorval
and Bruce Greenwood
, and science fiction writer Éric Gauthier
.
Rouyn-Noranda is known as "La Capitale Nationale du Cuivre" (or the National Copper Capital) for its extensive copper deposits and mining/smelting activities.
Notably, since 2005 the small mostly francophone town has had the Festival des guitares du monde en Abitibi-Témiscamingue" (translating to Festival of World's Guitars in Abitibi-Temiscamingue) which featured world renowned guitarists. It is now being whispered amongst the artist community to be a must-perform-there town.
Rouyn-Noranda is also known as a "Capital of Metal" since the metal scene is very active and popular. Many metal bands played in Rouyn-Noranda, like Behemoth
, Sonata Arctica
, Kreator
, Napalm Death
, Cryptopsy
, Cephalic Carnage
, Cannibal Corpse
, Quo Vadis
, Deeds of Flesh
, Disgorge, Mortal decay, Kataklysm
, 1349
, Anonymus
, Vader
, Martyr
and Neuraxis
. Descend Into Nothingness, Abitabyss, Archons, Cryptik Howling, Decrepity, Chaotic Insurrection and many other metal bands from Rouyn-Noranda have great success in the metal scene.
and has a small public transit
system of four bus routes serving the urban area..
The primary highways through the city are the north-south Route 101
and the east-west Route 117
, which is part of the Trans-Canada Highway
system.
Osisko Lake
Osisko Lake is a lake in western Quebec, Canada. It is 3 km long, and 3 km wide. The city of Rouyn-Noranda is on its western shore. The lake is a recreational area, surrounded by trails and a bike path. The city hospital is also located on the lake shore. Lake Osisko has been a poluted...
in northwestern 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...
.
The city of Rouyn-Noranda is coextensive with a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of 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....
of the same name. Their geographical code is 86.
History
Louis-Joseph de Montcalm
Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Gozon, Marquis de Saint-Veran was a French soldier best known as the commander of the forces in North America during the Seven Years' War .Montcalm was born near Nîmes in France to a noble family, and entered military service...
) appeared after copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
was discovered in 1917. Noranda (a contraction of "North Canada") was created later around the Horne mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
. Both were officially constituted as cities in 1926, then merged in 1986.
Since 1966, Rouyn and Noranda constitute the capital of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Abitibi-Témiscamingue is a region located in western Quebec, Canada, along the border with Ontario. It became part of the province in 1898. It has a land area of 57,674.26 km2 . As of the 2006 census, the population of the region was 143,872 inhabitants.-History:The land was first occupied...
region. It is also the seat of public university UQAT
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
The Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, sometimes informally known as UQAT, is a public university within the Université du Québec network, with campuses in Val-d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda.-Mission:...
since 1983.
The population tends to increase or decrease dramatically depending on the economic situation. The city's population dropped by 5 per cent between the 1996 and 2001 census, before increasing slightly by 0.8 per cent for the 2006 census. This more closely parallels the demographic patterns of Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
than those of Quebec during this period. Rouyn-Noranda also has other cultural affiliations with Northern Ontario, being the only municipality in Quebec that holds a membership in the Francophone Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
The Roman Catholic diocese of Rouyn-Noranda was established on November 29, 1973, with Mgr. Jean-Guy Hamelin as its first bishop. It is part of the Metropolitan Province of Gatineau. Mgr. Dorylas Moreau was appointed as bishop on November 30, 2001, replacing Mgr. Hamelin. On September 15, 2003, a decree moved the cathedral from Saint-Michel-Archange church to Saint-Joseph church.
Communities
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....
of January 1, 2002, Rouyn-Noranda amalgamated with the municipalities of the former Regional County Municipality of Rouyn-Noranda, including Arntfield, Bellecombe, Cadillac, Cléricy, Cloutier, D'Alembert, Destor, Évain, Lac-Montanier, Lac-Surimau, McWatters, Mont-Brun, Montbeillard, Rapides-des-Cèdres and Rollet.
Politics
Federally, Rouyn-Noranda is part of the Abitibi—TémiscamingueAbitibi—Témiscamingue
Abitibi—Témiscamingue is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004. The area was also represented by the electoral district of Témiscamingue from 1968 until 2004.-Geography:...
riding. Its MP is currently Christine Moore
Christine Moore (politician)
Christine Moore is a Canadian politician. On May 2, 2011, she was elected as the Member of Parliament for Abitibi—Témiscamingue for the New Democratic Party in Quebec during the 2011 Canadian federal election...
of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
. Provincially, Rouyn-Noranda is part of the Rouyn-Noranda—Témiscamingue
Rouyn-Noranda—Témiscamingue
Rouyn-Noranda—Témiscamingue is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The riding was created in 1980 from parts Rouyn-Noranda and Pontiac-Témiscamingue...
riding, which is currently represented by Daniel Bernard
Daniel Bernard (politician)
Daniel Bernard Daniel Bernard Daniel Bernard (born is a Canadian politician, who served as Member of the National Assembly for the electoral district of Rouyn-Noranda—Témiscamingue from 2003 to 2007. He was re-elected in the same district in 2008. He is a member of the Quebec Liberal Party....
of the Quebec Liberal Party.
The city's mayor is Mario Provencher.
Rouyn-Noranda is also a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of 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....
, coextensive with the city of Rouyn-Noranda. Its geographical code is 86.
Rouyn-Noranda is the seat of the judicial district
Judicial districts of Quebec
The province of Quebec is divided into 36 judicial districts by the , R.S.Q., chapter D-11. Each district has a seat where the courthouse is located, although some have more than one courthouse, service point, or itinerant court location....
of the same name.
Sports
The Rouyn-Noranda HuskiesRouyn-Noranda Huskies
The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies are a junior ice hockey team of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based out of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The team plays its home games at the Iamgold Arena...
have played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
since the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser
Saint-Hyacinthe Laser
The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1989 to 1996. They played their home games at Stade L.P. Gaucher.-History:...
relocated to the town in 1996. Rouyn-Noranda has produced a high amount of NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
ers for its size with former NHL stars Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Turgeon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche...
, Sylvain Turgeon
Sylvain Turgeon
Sylvain Turgeon is a retired NHL player and the older brother of retired NHL player Pierre Turgeon.-Playing career:He was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft as the second pick overall...
, Dale Tallon
Dale Tallon
Dale Tallon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and current General Manager for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
, Pit Martin
Pit Martin
Hubert Jacques "Pit" Martin was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who served as captain for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League from 1975 to 1977...
, Jacques Laperrière
Jacques Laperriere
Joseph Jacques Hughes Laperrière is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, Jacques Cloutier
Jacques Cloutier
Jacques Cloutier is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender, and former assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche....
, Dave Keon
Dave Keon
David Michael Keon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He played professionally from 1960–61 to 1981–82, including 15 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986....
and Kent Douglas,both members of the 1967 Stanley Cup Champions. Réjean Houle
Réjean Houle
Réjean Houle is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward, most notably for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League, for whom he also served a controversial stint as general manager.-Playing career:...
and Éric Desjardins
Eric Desjardins
Éric Desjardins is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993 and headlined the Flyers defence for over a decade...
all hailing from the city. Marc-André Cliche
Marc-Andre Cliche
-International:-External links:*...
played in his first NHL game in 2010.Also played in the NHL are the Bordeleau Brothers, Christian, Jean Paul and Paulin.
Economy
PropairPropair
Propair Inc. is a charter airline with its headquarters on the property of Rouyn-Noranda Airport in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. It operates charter and medevac flights. Its main base is Rouyn-Noranda Airport. It has a secondary base at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.-...
has its headquarters on the property of Rouyn-Noranda Airport
Rouyn-Noranda Airport
Rouyn-Noranda Airport, , is located east southeast of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada.The airport houses the headquarters of Propair.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*...
.
Xstrata
Xstrata
Xstrata plc is a global mining company headquartered in Zug, Switzerland and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is a major producer of coal , copper, nickel, primary vanadium and zinc and the world's largest producer of ferrochrome...
Copper Canada currently operates the Horne smelter.
Culture
Notable cultural figures from Rouyn-Noranda include singer-songwriter Richard Desjardins
Richard Desjardins
Richard Desjardins is a Québécois folk singer and film director. He and his friends formed the country rock ensemble Abbitibbi in the 1970s. Desjardins played piano, guitar, and sang. When the group disbanded in 1982, Desjardins pursued a solo career. He also found work scoring films,...
, actors Paule Baillargeon
Paule Baillargeon
Paule Baillargeon is a Canadian actress and film director. She won the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, and was a nominee for Best Director for Le Sèxe des étoiles.Her other film roles have included Un 32 août sur terre, Jésus de...
, Anne Dorval
Anne Dorval
Anne Dorval is a Canadian actress.-Career:Dorval may be best known for her appearance in the Quebec television series Le Coeur a ses raisons. She has also appeared in other Quebec series, such as Chambres en ville, Virginie, Paparazzi and Rumeurs, and in the film I killed my mother...
and Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
, and science fiction writer Éric Gauthier
Éric Gauthier
Éric Gauthier is a quebecois author who was born in 1975 in Rouyn-Noranda, in the Abitibi region of Quebec.- Biography :After a childhood spent in Abitibi, and computer science studies in Ottawa, Éric Gauthier moved to Montreal...
.
Rouyn-Noranda is known as "La Capitale Nationale du Cuivre" (or the National Copper Capital) for its extensive copper deposits and mining/smelting activities.
Notably, since 2005 the small mostly francophone town has had the Festival des guitares du monde en Abitibi-Témiscamingue" (translating to Festival of World's Guitars in Abitibi-Temiscamingue) which featured world renowned guitarists. It is now being whispered amongst the artist community to be a must-perform-there town.
Rouyn-Noranda is also known as a "Capital of Metal" since the metal scene is very active and popular. Many metal bands played in Rouyn-Noranda, like Behemoth
Behemoth (band)
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
, Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
, Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
, Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
, Cryptopsy
Cryptopsy
Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 1988. The band has sold over 300,000 records.-Necrosis :...
, Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage is an American grindcore band formed in 1992 in Denver, Colorado. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos...
, Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album...
, Quo Vadis
Quo Vadis (band)
Quo Vadis is a technical melodic death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formed in 1992 by Bart Frydrychowicz, Yanic Bercier, and Arie Itman and is named after the novel by Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz...
, Deeds of Flesh
Deeds of Flesh
Deeds of Flesh is a four-piece death metal band from Los Osos, California, USA. They were formed in 1993 by Jacoby Kingston, Erik Lindmark and Joey Heaslet and are still active. They founded their own label, Unique Leader Records, which has since become home to a number of other death metal bands...
, Disgorge, Mortal decay, Kataklysm
Kataklysm
Kataklysm is a Canadian death metal band. They call their musical style "northern hyperblast" after an advertisement in M.E.A.T. magazine describing another band, Fear Factory, as "hyperblast". The term refers to the extremely fast blast beats that Kataklysm's drummer, Max Duhamel, fuses into the...
, 1349
1349 (band)
1349 is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1997. Their name comes from the year the Black Death reached Norway.- History :1349 formed in 1997 and comprises several former members of the band Alvheim...
, Anonymus
Anonymus (band)
Anonymus is a Quebec thrash metal band founded in 1989. Their last studio album, "Chapter Chaos Begins", was released by Galy Records in 2006. They are known for their collaboration on the album L'Académie du Massacre featuring songs by Quebec satirical singer Mononc' Serge.The band was nominated...
, Vader
Vader (band)
Vader is a Polish death metal band from Olsztyn, formed in 1983. According to Piotr Wiwczarek, the band's founding singer and guitar player, the band's name was inspired by Darth Vader from the Star Wars film series. Lyrical themes include stories by H. P. Lovecraft, WW2, horror and anti-christian...
, Martyr
Martyr (band)
Martyr is a Canadian death metal band from Trois-Rivières, Québec, founded in 1994 by brothers Daniel and François Mongrain.- History :Formed in 1994 by brothers Daniel and François Mongrain , along with Pier-Luc Lampron and François Richard , Martyr recorded a demo tape in September 1995...
and Neuraxis
Neuraxis
Neuraxis is a Canadian technical/melodic death metal band. It was formed in Montreal in 1994 by Steven Henry, Yan Thiel and Felipe Angel Quinzanos...
. Descend Into Nothingness, Abitabyss, Archons, Cryptik Howling, Decrepity, Chaotic Insurrection and many other metal bands from Rouyn-Noranda have great success in the metal scene.
Transportation
The city is served by the Rouyn-Noranda AirportRouyn-Noranda Airport
Rouyn-Noranda Airport, , is located east southeast of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada.The airport houses the headquarters of Propair.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*...
and has a small public transit
Rouyn-Noranda public transit
Rouyn-Noranda public transit , marketed as L'autobus de ville, provides local bus service in the small city of Rouyn-Noranda in northwestern Quebec, Canada.-Routes:...
system of four bus routes serving the urban area..
The primary highways through the city are the north-south Route 101
Quebec route 101
Route 101 is a highway in northwestern Quebec running in a north to south direction.In the north the highway begins at Route 111 in Macamic and ends at Témiscaming, a town bordering with Thorne, Ontario on the Ottawa River...
and the east-west Route 117
Quebec route 117
Route 117 is a provincial highway within the Canadian province of Quebec, running between Montreal and the Quebec/Ontario border where it continues as Highway 66 east of Kearns, Ontario...
, which is part of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
system.
Media
Almost all media in Rouyn-Noranda and the nearby city of Val-d'Or serves both cities. Although the cities are far enough apart that radio and television stations in the area serve the cities from separate transmitters, almost every broadcast station in either city has a rebroadcaster in the other city. The only nominal exceptions are the cities' separate NRJ stations, although at present even these stations share the majority of their broadcast schedule.Sources
- Gourd, Benoit-Beaudry. "Rouyn-Noranda", in The Canadian Encyclopedia, Volume 3. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishing, 1988.