Natashquan (municipality)

Natashquan is a municipality in Minganie Regional County Municipality, Côte-Nord region, Quebec, Canada. It should not be confused with the adjacent but separate Innu reserve of Natashquan 1.

Natashquan
Municipality
Natashquan Location in Côte-Nord region of Quebec
Coordinates: 50°11′N 61°49′W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Côte-Nord
RCM	Minganie
Settled	1855
Constituted	September 16, 1907
Government [2]
• Mayor	Jacques Landry
• Federal riding	Manicouagan
• Prov. riding	Duplessis
Area [2][3]
• Total	200.40 km^2 (77.37 sq mi)
• Land	203.51 km^2 (78.58 sq mi)
	There is an apparent contradiction between two authoritative sources
Elevation	10.7 m (35.1 ft)
Population  (2011)[3]
• Total	246
• Density	1.2/km^2 (3/sq mi)
• Pop 2006–2011	6.8%
• Dwellings	165
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Within the AST legislated time zone boundary but observes EST[4])
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	G0G 2E0
Area code(s)	418 and 581
Highways	Route 138
Website	www.natashquan.org

The municipality is named after the Natashquan River, which had already been mapped and named in the 17th century. It comes from the Innu language, meaning "where one hunts for bear".[1]

In addition to the village of Natashquan itself, the municipality also includes the small community of Pointe-Parent (50°07′49″N 61°48′02″W) that is located on the Natashquan River, directly adjacent to the Natashquan Reserve. It is home to some fishermen's homes and was served by a post office from 1953 to 1976. Once also known as Pointe-du-Poste and Village-du-Poste, Pointe-Parent was named after priest Pierre-Clément Parent (1733–1784) who served as missionary in Tadoussac and Labrador and died in Natashquan.[5]

Geography

The community is located on the north shore of the Jacques Cartier Strait and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, straddling both banks of the Little Natashquan River, some 120 km (75 mi) east of Havre-Saint-Pierre. The township is bordered on the east and south by the estuary of the Natashquan River, and encompasses an area that is riddled with numerous small ponds and lakes.[6]

History

The original fishermen huts (magasins du Galet) are since 2006 a Quebec cultural heritage site.

While Jacques Cartier had visited the area in 1534 and a trading post already existed in 1710 at the mouth of the Natashquan River, the settlement of Natashquan in the eponymous township was not founded until 1855 when the first settlers arrived. They were Acadians from the Magdalen Islands, particularly from Amherst Island (île du Havre Aubert). That same year, the Notre-Dame-de-Natashquan Mission was founded on the west bank of the Little Natashquan River. In 1869, the township was officially established, and in August 1872, the post office opened. In 1907, the place was incorporated as a township municipality. For many decades Natashquan was dependent on fishing, but nowadays few fishermen remain.[1][7]

On June 18, 2016, Natashquan changed status from township municipality to a (regular) municipality.[8]

Demographics

Population

Canada census – Natashquan (municipality) community profile
		2011	2006
Population:		246 (-6.8% from 2006)	264 (-27.9% from 2001)
Land area:		203.51 km^2 (78.58 sq mi)	203.51 km^2 (78.58 sq mi)
Population density:		1.2/km^2 (3.1/sq mi)	1.3/km^2 (3.4/sq mi)
Median age:		52.5 (M: 52.8, F: 51.8)	49.2 (M: 47.7, F: 49.7)
Total private dwellings:		165	155
Median household income:		$.N/A	$50,688
Notes: 2011 income data for this area has been suppressed for data quality or confidentiality reasons. – References: 2011[9] 2006[10] earlier[11]

Historical Census Data – Natashquan, Quebec (township)[12]

Year Pop. ±% 1991 380 —     1996 356 −6.3%

Year Pop. ±% 2001 366 +2.8% 2006 264 −27.9%

Year Pop. ±% 2011 246 −6.8%

Language

Mother tongue:

• English as first language: 0%
• French as first language: 96.2%
• English and French as first language: 0%
• Other as first language: 3.8%

Transport

The main road through Natashquan is Quebec Route 138, and it is also served by Natashquan Airport and Natashquan (Lac de l'Avion) Water Aerodrome.

Climate

Natashquan experiences a borderline subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) that is just short of being classed as a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). Summers are mild, moderated by the Gulf of St Lawrence and winters are cold and snowy, with annual snowfall averaging 140 inches (356 cm).[13]

Climate data for Natashquan A
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	8.2 (46.8)	6.7 (44.1)	12.8 (55.0)	17.8 (64.0)	23.9 (75.0)	26.4 (79.5)	28.9 (84.0)	28.3 (82.9)	26.1 (79.0)	19.4 (66.9)	14.4 (57.9)	9.4 (48.9)	28.9 (84.0)
Average high °C (°F)	−8 (18)	−7.2 (19.0)	−2.2 (28.0)	3.4 (38.1)	9.7 (49.5)	15.0 (59.0)	18.5 (65.3)	18.2 (64.8)	14.2 (57.6)	8.1 (46.6)	1.9 (35.4)	−4.3 (24.3)	5.6 (42.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−13.5 (7.7)	−12.7 (9.1)	−7.1 (19.2)	−0.3 (31.5)	5.5 (41.9)	10.7 (51.3)	14.4 (57.9)	14.1 (57.4)	10.0 (50.0)	4.2 (39.6)	−1.9 (28.6)	−9 (16)	1.2 (34.2)
Average low °C (°F)	−19 (−2)	−18.1 (−0.6)	−12 (10)	−3.9 (25.0)	1.3 (34.3)	6.3 (43.3)	10.3 (50.5)	9.9 (49.8)	5.7 (42.3)	0.3 (32.5)	−5.6 (21.9)	−13.7 (7.3)	−3.2 (26.2)
Record low °C (°F)	−42.8 (−45.0)	−37.2 (−35.0)	−33.7 (−28.7)	−22.5 (−8.5)	−12.8 (9.0)	−3.9 (25.0)	1.1 (34.0)	−1.1 (30.0)	−7.8 (18.0)	−15 (5)	−25.6 (−14.1)	−35 (−31)	−42.8 (−45.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	91.4 (3.60)	69.6 (2.74)	90.4 (3.56)	80.3 (3.16)	86.1 (3.39)	88.0 (3.46)	105.4 (4.15)	92.2 (3.63)	95.0 (3.74)	103.6 (4.08)	103.4 (4.07)	93.9 (3.70)	1,099.3 (43.28)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	17.6 (0.69)	13.4 (0.53)	26.7 (1.05)	50.9 (2.00)	82.1 (3.23)	88.0 (3.46)	105.4 (4.15)	93.7 (3.69)	95.0 (3.74)	98.8 (3.89)	69.3 (2.73)	25.8 (1.02)	766.7 (30.18)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	79.5 (31.3)	61.2 (24.1)	67.7 (26.7)	30.8 (12.1)	4.1 (1.6)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	5.0 (2.0)	34.9 (13.7)	72.3 (28.5)	355.5 (140)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	19.1	16.7	16.1	14.3	14.1	12.8	15.0	12.8	13.7	15.1	15.4	17.7	182.8
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)	1.9	2.4	4.4	8.8	13.5	12.8	15.0	12.8	13.7	14.5	9.3	4.3	113.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)	18.7	15.7	14.0	8.8	1.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	9.2	16.1	86
Mean monthly sunshine hours	103.3	120.9	146.6	165.3	205.6	224.0	235.3	227.8	171.4	126.0	96.4	87.2	1,909.8
Source: Environment Canada[14]

Famous resident

Natashquan was the birthplace of singer Gilles Vigneault.

References

1. Reference number 43497 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (in French)
2. Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire – Répertoire des municipalités: Natashquan Archived 2012-05-01 at the Wayback Machine
3. Statistics Canada 2011 Census – Natashquan community profile
4. National Research Council Canada – Time Zones & Daylight Saving Time Archived 2010-03-17 at the Wayback Machine
5. "Pointe-Parent (hameau)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
6. "Natashquan (Canton)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
7. "Natashquan (Bureau de poste)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
8. "Modifications aux municipalités du Québec" (PDF). Institut de la statistique du Québec. June 2016. ISSN 1715-6408. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
9. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
10. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
11. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
12. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
13. Canada, Environment and Climate Change (2013-09-25). "Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada". climate.weather.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
14. "Temperature and Precipitation Graph for 1981 to 2010 Canadian Climate Normals NATASHQUAN A". Environment Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved April 16, 2019.

• "Toporama – Topographic Map Sheet 12K4". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2010-01-14.