Tracadie–Sheila

Tracadie–Sheila (/ˌtrækədi ˈʃaɪlə/ TRAK-ə-dee SHY-lə) is a former town in Gloucester County, New Brunswick, Canada.[4] It is now part of the Regional Municipality of Tracadie.[1]

"Tracadie-Sheila" redirects here. For electoral district, see Tracadie-Sheila (electoral district).

Tracadie–Sheila
Former town
Downtown Tracadie
Seal
Tracadie–Sheila Location within New Brunswick.
Coordinates: 47.51239°N 64.91010°W / 47.51239; -64.91010
Country	Canada
Province	New Brunswick
County	Gloucester
Parish	Saumarez
Town of Tracadie	1966
Village of Sheila	October 1, 1978
Town of Tracadie-Sheila	January 1, 1992
RM of Tracadie	July 1, 2014[1]
Government [2]
• Type	Town Council
• Mayor	Aldéoda Losier
• Deputy Mayor	Bobby Ferguson
• Councillors	List of Members Rose-Marie Doiron Marc Jean Jean-Yves McGraw Denis McLaughlin Fernand Paulin Vera Paulin
• Executive Director	Denis Poirier
Area [3]
• Total	24.65 km^2 (9.52 sq mi)
Elevation	0 - 22 m (−72 ft)
Population  (2011)[3]	16,000
• Density	200.1/km^2 (518/sq mi)
• Pop 2006-2011	10.1%
• Dwellings	2,255
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (ADT)
Postal code(s)	E1X
Area code(s)	506 Area exchanges: 394
NTS Map	021P10
GNBC Code	DATGK
Website	www.tracadie-sheila.ca

History

See also: History of New Brunswick and List of historic places in Gloucester County, New Brunswick

Demographics

Population

Canada census – Tracadie–Sheila community profile
		2011	2006
Population:		16,000 (+10.1% from 2006)	4,474 (-5.3% from 2001)
Land area:		24.65 km^2 (9.52 sq mi)	24.64 km^2 (9.51 sq mi)
Population density:		200.1/km^2 (518/sq mi)	181.6/km^2 (470/sq mi)
Median age:		45.4 (M: 45.1, F: 45.7)	43.2 (M: 43.2, F: 43.2)
Total private dwellings:		2,255	2,010
Median household income:		$47,661	$39,887
References: 2011[5] 2006[6] earlier[7]

Historical Census Data - Tracadie–Sheila, New Brunswick[8]

Year Pop. ±% 1991 4,383 —     1996 4,773 +8.9%

Year Pop. ±% 2001 4,724 −1.0% 2006 4,474 −5.3%

Year Pop. ±% 2011 4,933 +10.3%

Language : French Acadian

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Tracadie–Sheila, New Brunswick[8]
Census		Total		French				English				French & English				Other
Year		Responses		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %
2011		4,880		4,670	13.6%	95.70%		155	34.8%	3.18%		25	n/a%	0.51%		30	57.1%	0.61%
2006		4,295		4,110	6.2%	95.69%		115	20.7%	2.68%		0	100.0%	0.00%		70	n/a%	1.63%
2001		4,575		4,380	1.0%	95.74%		145	45.3%	3.17%		50	400.0%	1.09%		0	100.0%	0.00%
1996		4,625		4,335	n/a	93.73%		265	n/a	5.73%		10	n/a	0.22%		15	n/a	0.32%

Tourism and culture

Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Saint-Joseph in Tracadie-Sheila

Located on the Acadian Peninsula, the area has a number of sandy beaches. Val-Comeau, the most popular, is protected as a Provincial Park. The beaches can usually be enjoyed from June until September, when the water is a moderate temperature.

Signage is in French, as most inhabitants of the Acadian Peninsula are predominantly French speaking. The community became known as the hometown of Wilfred Le Bouthillier, winner of the 2003 Quebec reality show Star Académie. The success of the young singer, known simply as Wilfred, resulted in a significant rise in tourism to the region.

The town is also home to pop singer Jean-François Breau. Well-known AIDS activist Dr. Réjean Thomas and opera singer Michèle Losier, (both now residing in Montreal), are from the neighbouring village of St-Isidore, part of the greater Tracadie area.

Economy

The region suffers from high unemployment because of its relative isolation from centres of greater population. It depends on federal government assistance to compensate for the weak economic performance of the last decades. Most well-paid jobs tend to be government-related, including teachers, nurses and doctors. Other employers are in the "Parc Industriel".

Tourism is an important seasonal employer, particularly in the summer months of June, July and August. Thousands of vacationers, mostly from neighbouring Québec, come for the beaches, ocean, and hospitality.

Transportation

The closest public airport is Bathurst Airport (IATA code: ZBF), 75 kilometres west of the town. It is served by Air Canada Jazz with twice daily flights to Montreal.

The community was once served by CN Rail for freight rail transport, but the rail line was abandoned in the 1980s. Today the nearest rail service is at Miramichi or Bathurst with the New Brunswick East Coast Railway; Via Rail Canada provides 6-day/week passenger rail service at Bathurst and Miramichi using its train the Ocean, running to Montreal and Halifax.

The town is located on Highway 11 which links the town to Caraquet and Shippagan to the northeast and Miramichi to the southwest. The town is connected to Highway 8 to Bathurst via Highway 365 and Highway 160 through St-Isidore and Allardville.

References

1. "Establishing the Regional Municipality of Grand Tracadie-Sheila" (PDF) (PDF). New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government. February 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
2. Government of New Brunswick website: Tracadie-Sheila
3. 2011 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Tracadie–Sheila, New Brunswick
4. New Brunswick Provincial Archives - Tracadie-Sheila
5. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
6. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
7. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
8. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census

• Tracadie-Sheila - official site