Saint-Donat, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Saint-Donat is a township municipality
in the Canadian
province
of Quebec
, part of the Regional County Municipality
of Matawinie
, within the larger administrative region of Lanaudière
. The main town within the township is also identified as Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm to distinguish it from a parish municipality with the same name
in La Mitis RCM
. It is located approximately 135 kilometres (83.9 mi) northwest of Montreal
. The town is surrounded by mountains and numerous water basins of the Laurentian Mountains
. The nearest natural landmark is the Mont-Tremblant National Park
.
are the elected officials of the municipality.
, can be enjoyed there as well. Its mountains, lakes, and pleasant weather
attract many tourists in the summer season
. Many people who vacation in Saint-Donat during the summer enjoy swimming or boating on its two large lakes, Lake Archambault and Lake Ouareau
. Saint-Donat is the only village in the Laurentiens that has two side-by-side lakes of the size of Archambault and Ouareau. Saint-Donat also contains two other lakes that are smaller than Archambault and Ouareau, Lac Sylvère and Lac Croche.
The year-round population
of Saint-Donat is approximately 3,700, but during the tourist season, the number of people actually in Saint-Donat can reach 20,000. Saint-Donat has been recognized for its beauty and has received national recognition, especially for the quality of its public places. It was first recognized as a prime tourist destination in 1908, by an engineer with the Ministry of Lands and Forests. Hotels, and other businesses necessary in a tourist destination, began within a few decades, and tourism was the focal point of the local economy by 1970.
Private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 2020 (total: 4160)
All official government actions take place in French
, the official language of Quebec. French is the primary language spoken in Saint-Donat, though some people, especially those who deal often with tourists, are able to speak and understand English. Mother tongue:
Types of municipalities in Quebec
The following is a list of the types of local and supralocal territorial units in Quebec, including those used solely for statistical purposes, as defined by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec....
in the Canadian
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...
province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
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....
, part of the Regional County Municipality
Regional county municipality
The term regional county municipality or RCM is used in Quebec to designate one of 86 county-like political and geographic units. In most cases, they are also census divisions. Regional County Municipalities are a supralocal type of "Regional Municipality" and are still commonly referred to as...
of Matawinie
Matawinie Regional County Municipality, Quebec
300px|rightMatawinie is a Regional County Municipality in southwestern Quebec, Canada. Its seat is Rawdon. The population of the MRC according to the 2006 Census is 49,717-Municipalities:*Chertsey*Entrelacs*Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci*Rawdon...
, within the larger administrative region of Lanaudière
Lanaudière
Lanaudière is one of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada, situated immediately to the northeast of Montreal. It has a total population of 429,053 inhabitants.-Geography:...
. The main town within the township is also identified as Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm to distinguish it from a parish municipality with the same name
Saint-Donat, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Saint-Donat is a parish municipality in La Mitis County, Quebec, Canada. It bears a name similar to the much larger Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm located in Matawinie County. As of 2006, total population of Saint-Donat was 817....
in La Mitis RCM
La Mitis Regional County Municipality, Quebec
La Mitis is a regional county municipality in eastern Quebec, Canada on the Gaspé peninsula. Its seat is in Mont-Joli which is on the Saint Lawrence River. La Mitis is named for the Mitis River which has its source in the region and flows through the central part of the region before emptying...
. It is located approximately 135 kilometres (83.9 mi) northwest 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...
. The town is surrounded by mountains and numerous water basins of the Laurentian Mountains
Laurentian mountains
The Laurentian Mountains are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of 1166 metres at Mont Raoul Blanchard, north east of Quebec City in the Reserve Faunique des Laurentides. The Gatineau, L'Assomption, Lièvre,...
. The nearest natural landmark is the Mont-Tremblant National Park
Mont-Tremblant National Park
Mont-Tremblant National Park is a 1,510.10 km² provincial park located north of the town of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, and the village of Saint-Donat and Saint-Côme...
.
History
Saint-Donat was founded sometime near 1876 by a religious community of suffragettes as the "Saint-Donat Parish" near the church (located at the intersection of Principale and Allard streets). It was therefore first settled in the mid-to-late 19th century, as a solution to the overcrowding of cities such as Montreal. Over the time, the small village received urban population attracted by its beautiful landscape and the town was officially established in 1904. By 1950, Saint-Donat has reached a population of 2,000. As of 2006, the town is nearing 4,300 permanent residents.Government
The current mayor of Saint-Donat is Richard Bénard. The mayor and a six-member city councilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
are the elected officials of the municipality.
Tourism
Saint-Donat is often frequented by tourists in the winter. Its main attraction is snowmobiling, but other winter sports, such as skiingSkiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, can be enjoyed there as well. Its mountains, lakes, and pleasant weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
attract many tourists in the summer season
Season
A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
. Many people who vacation in Saint-Donat during the summer enjoy swimming or boating on its two large lakes, Lake Archambault and Lake Ouareau
Lake Ouareau
Lac Ouareau is a fairly large lake located near the town of St. Donat, in Quebec, Canada. It is approximately 70 minutes north of Montreal in the Laurentian Highlands and is located on the outskirts of the St...
. Saint-Donat is the only village in the Laurentiens that has two side-by-side lakes of the size of Archambault and Ouareau. Saint-Donat also contains two other lakes that are smaller than Archambault and Ouareau, Lac Sylvère and Lac Croche.
The year-round population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Saint-Donat is approximately 3,700, but during the tourist season, the number of people actually in Saint-Donat can reach 20,000. Saint-Donat has been recognized for its beauty and has received national recognition, especially for the quality of its public places. It was first recognized as a prime tourist destination in 1908, by an engineer with the Ministry of Lands and Forests. Hotels, and other businesses necessary in a tourist destination, began within a few decades, and tourism was the focal point of the local economy by 1970.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 4297 (2001 to 2006 population change: 24.8 %)
- Population in 2001: 3444
- Population in 1996: 3262 (or 3259 when adjusted for 2001 boundaries)
- Population in 1991: 2946
Private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 2020 (total: 4160)
All official government actions take place in French
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...
, the official language of Quebec. French is the primary language spoken in Saint-Donat, though some people, especially those who deal often with tourists, are able to speak and understand English. Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 1.5 %
- French as first language: 96.6 %
- English and French as first language: 0.6 %
- Other as first language: 1.3 %