Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie
region of Quebec
, Canada
, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice
and Saint Lawrence River
s. It is situated in the Mauricie
administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River
across from the city of Bécancour
. It is part of the densely populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor and is approximately halfway between Montreal
and Quebec City
. Trois-Rivières is the economic and cultural hub of the Mauricie region. It was founded on July 4, 1634, the second permanent settlement in New France
, after Quebec City in 1608.
The city's name, which is French for three rivers, is named for the fact that the Saint-Maurice River
, which is divided by two small islands at the river's opening, has three mouths at the Saint Lawrence River
. Traditionally, Trois-Rivières was referred to in English as Three Rivers, although in more recent decades it has been referred to as Trois-Rivières in both English and French. The anglicized name still appears in many areas of the town (e.g., the city's Three Rivers Academy), bearing witness to the influence of English settlers in the town. The city's inhabitants are known as "Trifluviens" (Trifluvians).
Trois-Rivières is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) of Quebec, coextensive with the city of Trois-Rivières. Its geographical code is 371. Together with the regional county municipality
of Les Chenaux
, it forms the census division (CD) of Francheville
(37). The municipalities within Les Chenaux and the former municipalities that were amalgamated into Trois-Rivières formerly constituted the regional county municipality of Francheville. Trois-Rivières is the seat of the judicial district
of the same name. The Trois-Rivières metropolitan area also includes the city of Bécancour which is situated on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River across the Laviolette Bridge
.
For a long time, the area that would later become known as Trois-Rivières was frequented by Algonquins and Abenakis, who used it as a summer stopping place. The French explorer Jacques Cartier
described the site while on his second journey to the New World in 1535. The name "Trois-Rivières", however, was given only in 1599, by Captain Dupont-Gravé, and first appeared on maps of the area in 1601.
In 1603, while surveying the Saint-Lawrence River, Samuel de Champlain
recommended establishing a permanent settlement in the area, which was finally done on July 4, 1634, by the Sieur of Laviolette
. Additional inhabitants of the original city of Trois-Rivières include: Quentin Moral, Sieur de St. Quentin; Pierre Boucher, Jacques Le Neuf, Jean Godefroy de Lintot, Michel Le Neuf du Hérisson, François Hertel, François Marguerie, René Robineau, and Jean Sauvaget. The city was the second to be founded in New France
(after Quebec City
, before Montreal
) and – thanks to its strategic location – played an important role in the colony and in the fur trade. The settlement became the seat of a regional government in 1665. Ursuline
nuns first arrived at the settlement in 1697, establishing the first school and helping local missionnaries to Christianize the local Aboriginals and Métis
.
French sovereignty in Trois-Rivières continued until 1760, when the city was captured as part of the British conquest of Quebec
. Sixteen years later, on June 8, 1776, it was the theatre of the Battle of Trois-Rivières
(part of the ill-fated Invasion of the province of Quebec
by Americans
from the Boston
area—les Bostonnais) during the American Revolutionary War
.
Trois-Rivières continued to grow in stature throughout the period and beyond; in 1792 it became the seat of a judicial district, and in 1852, that of a Roman Catholic diocese
.
In 1908, the greater part of the city of Trois-Rivières was destroyed by a fire in which the majority of the city's original buildings, many dating back to French colonial years, were destroyed. Only a few were spared, including the Ursuline Monastery and the De Tonnancour Manor. As a result of the destruction, a major redesign and renovation of the city was undertaken, including the widening and renewal of many of the city's roads. As well, many new businesses and industries became established in the town, which attracted many new residents.
In the 1960s, Trois-Rivières undertook a large-scale project of economic diversification, including the establishment of several cultural institutions and attractions. The Old City of Trois-Rivières was declared an "historic sector" in 1964. The Laviolette Bridge
, linking Trois-Rivières to Bécancour and the south shore of the Saint-Lawrence River, was opened officially on December 20, 1967. Finally, in 1969, the city appeared on Canada's academic map with the establishment of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
, known for its chiropractic
school, its podiatric medical education and its excellent programs for primary and secondary school education.
Although historically an important center of commerce, trade and population, Trois-Rivières has relinquished much of its earlier importance to the two major cities of Quebec: the metropolis
of Montreal and the capital of Quebec City. It does, however, remain one of the principal medium-sized cities of Quebec, along with Saguenay
, Sherbrooke and Gatineau
.
, Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap
, Saint-Louis-de-France
, Trois-Rivières-Ouest
, and the municipality of Pointe-du-Lac
, were combined to form the new city of Trois-Rivières.
.
Notable landmarks include the Forges du Saint-Maurice
, a foundry
dating back to the 1730s, the Ursulines
Monastery, and Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica
.
Trois-Rivières is Canada's oldest industrial city, with its first foundry established in 1738. The forge produced iron and cast for 150 years, much of it being shipped to France to be used in Royal Navy ships. The first port facility was built in 1818 near rue Saint-Antoine, and today handles 2.5 million tonnes of cargo annually. The first railway was built in 1879 to support the growing lumber industry.
The city was known as the pulp and paper industry
capital of the world from the late 1920s until the early 1960s. The city once had four mills in operation. Today, there are only two mills left operating (Kruger Trois-Rivières and Kruger Wayagamack), the closures due largely to a decline in newsprint demand and globalization. The closures were not limited to just the pulp and paper industry; Trois-Rivières experienced an industrial decline in the 1980s and 1990s, with unemployment rising to 14 percent in the 1990s.
Trois-Rivières is attempting an industrial revitalization by establishing technology parks and taking advantage of its central location to both Montreal and Quebec City, its university and port. An example of the new economy is Marmen Incorporated, which manufactures wind turbine towers and employs 1,000 people between its operations in Trois-Rivières and Matane
.
The city's other prominent industries include metal transformation
, electronics
, thermoplastic
s, as well as cabinet making
and the production of food crops. An industrial park adjoining Trois-Rivières Airport
serves also as a major centre for the aeronautical
industry.
(Koppen
Dfb). Winters are long, cold, and snowy: the January high is -7.3 C, with lows dropping to -20 C on 30 nights per year and to -30 C on 3.5 nights. Snowfall averages 241 centimetres (95 in), with reliable snow cover from December to March. Summers are warm, with a July high of 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), though highs reach 30 °C (86 °F) on 4.8 days per summer. Spring and autumn are short and crisp. Precipitation averages 1100 millimetres (43.3 in), and is the greatest during summer.
Trois-Rivières is officially the "Poetry Capital of Quebec"; numerous plaques displaying poetic verses are installed throughout the centre of the city, and its International Festival of Poetry (held each year in the first week of October) honours this title.
Prior to amalgamation in 2001, the new city of Trois-Rivières was divided among six municipalities. The largest visible minority groups in Trois-Rivières are Blacks (2.2%) and Asians (1.4%).
Municipal population, pre-amalgamation (December 14, 2000)
Age structure
Religious groups
. The track hosts American Le Mans Series
, SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series
, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
, and the Star Mazda Series
events.
Mauricie
Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
region 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....
, 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...
, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice
Saint-Maurice River
The Saint-Maurice River is a river in central Quebec which flows south from Gouin Reservoir to empty into the Saint Lawrence River at Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The river is 563 km in length and has a drainage basin of 43,300 km² ....
and 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...
s. It is situated in the Mauricie
Mauricie
Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
administrative region, on the north shore 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...
across from the city of Bécancour
Bécancour, Quebec
Bécancour is a town in the Centre-du-Québec region of Québec, Canada; it is the seat of the Bécancour Regional County Municipality. It is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River at the confluence of the Bécancour River, opposite Trois-Rivières.Wôlinak, an Abenaki Indian reserve, is...
. It is part of the densely populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor and is approximately halfway between 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...
and 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...
. Trois-Rivières is the economic and cultural hub of the Mauricie region. It was founded on July 4, 1634, the second permanent settlement in New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, after Quebec City in 1608.
The city's name, which is French for three rivers, is named for the fact that the Saint-Maurice River
Saint-Maurice River
The Saint-Maurice River is a river in central Quebec which flows south from Gouin Reservoir to empty into the Saint Lawrence River at Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The river is 563 km in length and has a drainage basin of 43,300 km² ....
, which is divided by two small islands at the river's opening, has three mouths at 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...
. Traditionally, Trois-Rivières was referred to in English as Three Rivers, although in more recent decades it has been referred to as Trois-Rivières in both English and French. The anglicized name still appears in many areas of the town (e.g., the city's Three Rivers Academy), bearing witness to the influence of English settlers in the town. The city's inhabitants are known as "Trifluviens" (Trifluvians).
Trois-Rivières is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) of Quebec, coextensive with the city of Trois-Rivières. Its geographical code is 371. Together with 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 Les Chenaux
Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Les Chenaux is a regional county municipality in central Quebec, Canada in the Mauricie region. The seat is in Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes. It is located adjacent on the east of Trois-Rivières on the Saint Lawrence River. It has a land area of and a population of 16,944 inhabitants in the Canada 2006...
, it forms the census division (CD) of Francheville
Francheville (census division)
Francheville is a census division of Quebec, with geographical code 37. It consists of the regional county municipality of Les Chenaux and the territory equivalent to a regional county municipality of Trois-Rivières....
(37). The municipalities within Les Chenaux and the former municipalities that were amalgamated into Trois-Rivières formerly constituted the regional county municipality of Francheville. Trois-Rivières 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. The Trois-Rivières metropolitan area also includes the city of Bécancour which is situated on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River across the Laviolette Bridge
Laviolette Bridge
The Laviolette Bridge is an arch bridge connecting the city of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada to Bécancour on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River via Autoroute 55.-Overview:...
.
History
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
described the site while on his second journey to the New World in 1535. The name "Trois-Rivières", however, was given only in 1599, by Captain Dupont-Gravé, and first appeared on maps of the area in 1601.
In 1603, while surveying the Saint-Lawrence River, Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
recommended establishing a permanent settlement in the area, which was finally done on July 4, 1634, by the Sieur of Laviolette
Laviolette (electoral district)
Laviolette is a provincial electoral riding in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Mauricie region, it was created in 1931. It includes the entire La Tuque area as well as the municipalities of Hérouxville and Saint-Tite and some portions of the city of Shawinigan.The riding was named...
. Additional inhabitants of the original city of Trois-Rivières include: Quentin Moral, Sieur de St. Quentin; Pierre Boucher, Jacques Le Neuf, Jean Godefroy de Lintot, Michel Le Neuf du Hérisson, François Hertel, François Marguerie, René Robineau, and Jean Sauvaget. The city was the second to be founded in New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
(after 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...
, before 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...
) and – thanks to its strategic location – played an important role in the colony and in the fur trade. The settlement became the seat of a regional government in 1665. Ursuline
Ursulines
The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
nuns first arrived at the settlement in 1697, establishing the first school and helping local missionnaries to Christianize the local Aboriginals and Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
.
French sovereignty in Trois-Rivières continued until 1760, when the city was captured as part of the British conquest of Quebec
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. Sixteen years later, on June 8, 1776, it was the theatre of the Battle of Trois-Rivières
Battle of Trois-Rivières
The Battle of Trois-Rivières was fought on June 8, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. A British army under Quebec Governor Guy Carleton defeated an attempt by units from the Continental Army under the command of Brigadier General William Thompson to stop a British advance up the Saint...
(part of the ill-fated Invasion of the province of Quebec
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
by Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area—les Bostonnais) during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Trois-Rivières continued to grow in stature throughout the period and beyond; in 1792 it became the seat of a judicial district, and in 1852, that of a Roman Catholic diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
In 1908, the greater part of the city of Trois-Rivières was destroyed by a fire in which the majority of the city's original buildings, many dating back to French colonial years, were destroyed. Only a few were spared, including the Ursuline Monastery and the De Tonnancour Manor. As a result of the destruction, a major redesign and renovation of the city was undertaken, including the widening and renewal of many of the city's roads. As well, many new businesses and industries became established in the town, which attracted many new residents.
In the 1960s, Trois-Rivières undertook a large-scale project of economic diversification, including the establishment of several cultural institutions and attractions. The Old City of Trois-Rivières was declared an "historic sector" in 1964. The Laviolette Bridge
Laviolette Bridge
The Laviolette Bridge is an arch bridge connecting the city of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada to Bécancour on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River via Autoroute 55.-Overview:...
, linking Trois-Rivières to Bécancour and the south shore of the Saint-Lawrence River, was opened officially on December 20, 1967. Finally, in 1969, the city appeared on Canada's academic map with the establishment of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , established in 1969 is a campus of the Université du Québec, located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The university has 12,500 students in 8 different campuses, including the main one in Trois-Rivières. About 1000 of them come from overseas, from 60...
, known for its chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
school, its podiatric medical education and its excellent programs for primary and secondary school education.
Although historically an important center of commerce, trade and population, Trois-Rivières has relinquished much of its earlier importance to the two major cities of Quebec: the metropolis
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...
of Montreal and the capital of Quebec City. It does, however, remain one of the principal medium-sized cities of Quebec, along with Saguenay
Saguenay, Quebec
Saguenay is a city in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada, on the Saguenay River, about north of Quebec City....
, Sherbrooke and Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
.
Municipal reorganization
On January 1, 2002, the former city of Trois-Rivières along with its neighbouring towns of Cap-de-la-MadeleineCap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec
Cap-de-la-Madeleine is a former city in Quebec, Canada at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River and the St. Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into the City of Trois-Rivières in 2002. Population 33,022.- History :...
, Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap
Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap, Quebec
Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap is a former town in Quebec, Canada on the St. Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into the City of Trois-Rivières in 2002. Population 6,192....
, Saint-Louis-de-France
Saint-Louis-de-France, Quebec
Saint-Louis-de-France is a former town in Quebec, Canada. It was amalgamated into the city of Trois-Rivières in 2002. Population 7,246....
, Trois-Rivières-Ouest
Trois-Rivières-Ouest, Quebec
Trois-Rivières-Ouest is a former city in Quebec, Canada, now in the City of Trois-Rivières. Population : 23,287...
, and the municipality of Pointe-du-Lac
Pointe-du-Lac, Quebec
Pointe-du-Lac is a former municipality in Quebec, Canada on the St. Lawrence River. It was founded in 1738 and its actual church dates from 1882. Another old building in the village is the Moulin Seigneurial, founded in 1721 and rescued in the 70s by resident Mariette Chenay.The municipality was...
, were combined to form the new city of Trois-Rivières.
Cityscape
The city's main street is Boulevard des Forges, an area several blocks long in the heart of the Old City composed of century-old buildings housing a great variety of cafés, restaurants, clubs, bars, and shops. In the warmer months, the area is regularly closed to vehicular traffic to accommodate various festivals and events, turning the downtown core into a pedestrian mallPedestrian mall
Pedestrian malls in the United States are also known as pedestrian streets and are the most common form of pedestrian zone in large cities in the United States. It is a street lined with storefronts and closed off to most automobile traffic...
.
Notable landmarks include the Forges du Saint-Maurice
Forges du Saint-Maurice
Forges du Saint-Maurice , just outside of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, is a National Historic Site of Canada, and birthplace of the country's iron industry....
, a 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...
dating back to the 1730s, the Ursulines
Ursulines
The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
Monastery, and Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica
Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica
The Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Cap is a basilica in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. It is an important Catholic sanctuary which receives thousands of pilgrims each year....
.
Economy
The city was known as the pulp and paper industry
Pulp and paper industry
The global pulp and paper industry is dominated by North American , northern European and East Asian countries...
capital of the world from the late 1920s until the early 1960s. The city once had four mills in operation. Today, there are only two mills left operating (Kruger Trois-Rivières and Kruger Wayagamack), the closures due largely to a decline in newsprint demand and globalization. The closures were not limited to just the pulp and paper industry; Trois-Rivières experienced an industrial decline in the 1980s and 1990s, with unemployment rising to 14 percent in the 1990s.
Trois-Rivières is attempting an industrial revitalization by establishing technology parks and taking advantage of its central location to both Montreal and Quebec City, its university and port. An example of the new economy is Marmen Incorporated, which manufactures wind turbine towers and employs 1,000 people between its operations in Trois-Rivières and Matane
Matane
Matane is a city in Quebec, Canada.Matane may also refer to:*Matane , Quebec*Matane Regional County Municipality, Quebec*Matane River, Quebec*Paulias Matane, Governor-General of Papua New Guinea...
.
The city's other prominent industries include metal transformation
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
, electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, thermoplastic
Thermoplastic
Thermoplastic, also known as a thermosoftening plastic, is a polymer that turns to a liquid when heated and freezes to a very glassy state when cooled sufficiently...
s, as well as cabinet making
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
and the production of food crops. An industrial park adjoining Trois-Rivières Airport
Trois-Rivières Airport
Trois-Rivières Airport, , is located near the city of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada.The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency...
serves also as a major centre for the aeronautical
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
industry.
Climate
The area has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Koppen
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...
Dfb). Winters are long, cold, and snowy: the January high is -7.3 C, with lows dropping to -20 C on 30 nights per year and to -30 C on 3.5 nights. Snowfall averages 241 centimetres (95 in), with reliable snow cover from December to March. Summers are warm, with a July high of 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), though highs reach 30 °C (86 °F) on 4.8 days per summer. Spring and autumn are short and crisp. Precipitation averages 1100 millimetres (43.3 in), and is the greatest during summer.
Culture
Trois-Rivières hosts the FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières, a 10-day summer music festival which attracts in excess of 300,000 visitors annually. The city also hosts the Festival International de la Poésie – an international poetry festival – as well as the Festival International Danse Encore, and the MetalFest de Trois-Rivières every November. In 2009, Trois-Rivières was designated as the 2009 Cultural Capital of Canada for cities having a population of 125,000 or more.Trois-Rivières is officially the "Poetry Capital of Quebec"; numerous plaques displaying poetic verses are installed throughout the centre of the city, and its International Festival of Poetry (held each year in the first week of October) honours this title.
Demographics
Population trend| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 130,407 | 0.4% |
| 2010 | 129,886 | 1.4% |
| 2009 | 128,082 | 0.7% |
| 2008 | 128,941 | 1.8% |
| 2007 | 126,603 | 0.5% |
| 2006 | 125,711 | 0.9% |
| 2005 | 125,086 | 0.4% |
| 2004 | 124,537 | 1.2% |
| 2003 | 125,983 | 0.4% |
| 2002 | 126,438 | 0.0% |
| Mergers | 126,454 | 261.9% |
| 2001 | 48,285 | N/A |
Prior to amalgamation in 2001, the new city of Trois-Rivières was divided among six municipalities. The largest visible minority groups in Trois-Rivières are Blacks (2.2%) and Asians (1.4%).
Municipal population, pre-amalgamation (December 14, 2000)
| Municipality | Population |
|---|---|
| Trois-Rivières | 48 285 |
| Cap-de-la-Madeleine | 32 927 |
| Trois-Rivières-Ouest | 24 170 |
| Saint-Louis-de-France | 7 798 |
| Pointe-du-Lac | 6 846 |
| Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap | 6 428 |
| Total | 126 454 |
Age structure
- 0–14 years: 16.1%
- 15–64 years: 68.6%
- 65 years and over: 15.3%
Religious groups
- CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
: 93.7% - Protestant and other ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
: 2.7% - No religious affiliation: 3.3%
Sport
Trois-Rivières has an internationally known racetrack named Circuit Trois-RivièresCircuit Trois-Rivières
The Circuit Trois-Rivières is a street circuit located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. The circuit has hosted American Le Mans Series, Grand-Am Rolex Series, Trans-Am series and Formula Atlantic races in the past...
. The track hosts American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series , commonly abbreviated as NCATS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada that is based from the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.-History:...
, and the Star Mazda Series
Star Mazda Series
The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is an open-wheel racecar driver development series in North America. Competitors use spec Formula Mazda race cars built by Star Race Cars. The original series, using first-generation tube-frame cars started in the early 1990s, with the current,...
events.
Notables
- Steve BéginSteve BéginStéphan Bégin ; born June 14, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who most recently played for the Nashville Predators.-Playing career:...
, NHL hockey player. - Jean BéliveauJean BéliveauJean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
, retired NHL hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972. - Marc-André BergeronMarc-André BergeronMarc-André Bergeron is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently under contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Career:...
, NHL hockey player. - Guy BertrandGuy Bertrand (broadcaster)Guy Bertrand is a Canadian linguist and broadcast personality.Renowned media language specialist, Guy Bertrand has written the linguistic standards and practices for the French CBC services...
, radio-tv personality and CBC French Radio and Television official linguistic advisor (French links: :fr:C'est bien meilleur le matin) - Jacques De NoyonJacques de NoyonJacques de Noyon was a French Canadian explorer and coureur des bois. He is the first known European to visit the Boundary Waters region west of Lake Superior.Jacques de Noyon was born on February 12, 1668, in Trois-Rivières, New France...
, worked in the fur trade as a coureur de bois. In 1688 he led an expedition beyond Lake Superior into territory previously unknown to fur traders. He was the first white man to explore this region. - Maurice DuplessisMaurice DuplessisMaurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
, former Premier of QuebecPremier of QuebecThe Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
(1936–39, 1944–59) - André DupontAndre DupontAndré "Moose" Dupont is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Quebec Nordiques...
, former NHL hockey player - Madeleine FerronMadeleine FerronMadeleine Ferron was a Quebec writer. She was born in Trois-Rivières.She began her early studies with the Sisters of Saint Anne, continuing at the Université de Montréal and Université Laval. She married Robert Cliche, a lawyer, in 1945.A writer and novelist, she also worked as a government...
, writer - Gérald GodinGérald GodinGérald Godin was a Quebec poet and politician.Born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, he worked as a journalist at La Presse and other newspapers and magazines...
, politician and poet - Annie GroovieAnnie GroovieAnnie Groovie , is a Québécois writer and illustrator of children's literature. She is notable for her series of books and comic strips featuring Léon, a young male cyclops....
, children's book author and creator of Léon - Jean GrouJean GrouJean Nicolas Grou was a French Roman Catholic mystic and spiritual writer.Philip Yancey says that Jean Nicolas Grou was "a mystic from the eighteenth century, [who] prescribed that healthy prayer should be humble, reverent, loving, confident, and persevering — in other words, the exact...
, an original settler of Trois-Rivières with a national monument placed at his original farm Coulèe GrouCoulée GrouCoulée Grou is the name of an area in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the location of a battle of the Beaver Wars, also known as the Iroquois Wars, given in honor of Jean Grou, a Canadian pioneer. Grou had sailed as a young boy from Rouen, France to New France in 1650 and established a...
. - Félix LeclercFélix LeclercFélix Leclerc, was a French-Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, writer, actor and Québécois political activist. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 20, 1968...
, songwriter; worked in a Trois-Rivières radioRadioRadio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station. - MartyrMartyr (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...
, a technical death metalTechnical death metalTechnical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band - The New CitiesThe New CitiesThe New Cities is a Juno Award and ADISQ Award nominated band originating from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada and currently based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The current members of The New Cities are David Brown, Christian Bergeron, Nicolas Denis, Francis Fugere, Philippe Lachance, and Julien...
, a Canadian rock band, notable for their song "Dead End CountdownDead End Countdown"Dead End Countdown" is the debut single by Canadian pop rock band The New Cities from their debut album, Lost in City Lights. It peaked at #16 on the Canadian Hot 100 in July 2009 and a month later, the single was certified gold by the CRIA with over 20,000 digital downloads.The song won the...
" - Jean NicoletJean NicoletJean Nicolet de Belleborne was a French coureur des bois noted for exploring Green Bay in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Life:...
, French-Canadian explorer - René RobertRene RobertRené Paul Robert is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played 12 seasons in the NHL between 1970 and 1982. Robert was selected to 2 National Hockey League All-Star Games and was selected as the Second NHL All-Star Team right wing in 1974–75.Robert played 744 career NHL games,...
, former NHL hockey player - Star Wars KidStar Wars Kid"Star Wars Kid" is an Internet meme involving a video of a high school student from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, wielding a golf ball retriever in imitation of Darth Maul's lightsaber moves from the Star Wars films....
, Internet celebrity - Jean-Guy TalbotJean-Guy TalbotJean-Guy Talbot is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman and coach.-Playing career:Jean-Guy played in the National Hockey League from 1955 to 1971. During this time, he played for the Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens...
, former NHL hockey player, an arena with his name - Luc TousignantLuc TousignantLuc Tousignant is a former quarterback in the Canadian Football League and Olympic handball player....
, the only French CanadianFrench CanadianFrench Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
to start as quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(Montreal Concordes) - Henri WittmannHenri WittmannHenri Wittmann is a Canadian linguist from Quebec. He is best known for his work on Quebec French.-Biography:Henri Wittmann was born in Alsace in 1937...
, linguist - Claude G. Lajoie, Federal Liberal Politician elected in 1971, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1980 and Building Contractor, Businessman
See also
- 1925 Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquake1925 Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquakeThe 1925 Charlevoix–Kamouraska earthquake was a major earthquake that struck the entire northeastern part of North America on February 2, 1925, reaching 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale....
- Société de transport de Trois-RivièresSociété de transport de Trois-RivièresSociété de transport de Trois-Rivières was formed in 2002 to operate transit services, after the merger of the six municipalities that today constitute the City of Trois-Rivières in Quebec, Canada. Previously the Corporation intermunicipale de transport des Forges had provided service in the area...
- Forges du Saint-MauriceForges du Saint-MauriceForges du Saint-Maurice , just outside of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, is a National Historic Site of Canada, and birthplace of the country's iron industry....
- Kruger Inc.Kruger Inc.Kruger Inc. is a Canadian corporation which manufactures publication papers, tissue, lumber and other wood products, corrugated cartons from recycled fibres, green and renewable energy, and wines and spirits. The company is a leader in paper and paperboard recycling in North America. Kruger Inc...
- Laviolette BridgeLaviolette BridgeThe Laviolette Bridge is an arch bridge connecting the city of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada to Bécancour on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River via Autoroute 55.-Overview:...
- List of mayors of Trois-Rivières
- List of people from Mauricie
- Notre-Dame-du-Cap BasilicaNotre-Dame-du-Cap BasilicaThe Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Cap is a basilica in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. It is an important Catholic sanctuary which receives thousands of pilgrims each year....
- Symphony Aircraft IndustriesSymphony Aircraft IndustriesSymphony Aircraft Industries was a light aircraft manufacturer based in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada.Between May 2005 and January 2007 SAI manufactured the Symphony SA-160 aircraft for the personal use, touring and flight training market. On January 22, 2007, it declared bankruptcy and ceased...
- Trois-Rivières City CouncilTrois-Rivières City CouncilThe Trois-Rivières City Council is the governing body for the city of Trois-Rivières, in the Mauricie region of Quebec.-Councilors:District 1, De Sainte-Marthe*Micheline Courteau...
- Université du Québec à Trois-RivièresUniversité du Québec à Trois-RivièresThe Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , established in 1969 is a campus of the Université du Québec, located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The university has 12,500 students in 8 different campuses, including the main one in Trois-Rivières. About 1000 of them come from overseas, from 60...
- Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-RivièresSéminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-RivièresThe 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...
- Gentilly Nuclear Generating StationGentilly Nuclear Generating StationGentilly Nuclear Generating Station is a Canadian nuclear power station located near Bécancour, Quebec. The facility derives its name from the Gentilly suburb of the city of Bécancour, in which it is located...