Lac-Simon, Outaouais, Quebec

Lac-Simon
Municipality
Location within Papineau RCM
Lac-Simon Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 45°54′N 75°06′W / 45.900°N 75.100°WCoordinates: 45°54′N 75°06′W / 45.900°N 75.100°W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Outaouais
RCM	Papineau
Settled	1845
Constituted	January 1, 1881
Government[2]
• Mayor	Gaston A. Tremblay
• Federal riding	Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel
• Prov. riding	Papineau
Area[2][3]
• Total	121.90 km^2 (47.07 sq mi)
• Land	97.37 km^2 (37.59 sq mi)
Population (2011)[3]
• Total	984
• Density	10.1/km^2 (26/sq mi)
• Pop 2006-2011	13.2%
• Dwellings	1,145
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s)	J0V 1E0
Area code(s)	819
Highways	Route 315 Route 321
Website	www.lac-simon.net

Lac-Simon is a town and municipality in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Papineau Regional County Municipality.

It is known for its sandy beaches on Lake Simon and provides services to vacationers and campers.

History

In 1845, Métis Amable LeBlanc and his wife Marie-Louise Cimon, the niece of Basile Outik, chief of the Oka Indian tribe, went to settle on an island in the middle of a beautiful lake located 75 miles north-west of Oka. Eight families left with him to this region where hunting and fishing were very good. Three of these families were related to the parents of his wife and from then on, the residents of Oka, and later those of Montebello, called this lake "Lake Cimon", which became "Lake Simon".^[4] The largest island in the lake is now called White Duck Island (Île du Canard Blanc) in honour of Amable LeBlanc who was nicknamed "White Duck" in reference to his slightly lighter skin colour as compared to his native relatives.^[5]

Amable "White Duck" LeBlanc and his wife Marie-Louise Cimon

Starting in 1852, Franco-Catholic colonists began to settle at the lake, working as log drivers, loggers, or farmers.^[5] In 1857, a mission was established.^[6] In 1864, Hartwell Township is formed (named after a place in central Buckinghamshire, England),^[7] followed a few years later by the United Township Municipality of Hartwell-et-Suffolk. In 1880, the mission attained the status of parish under the name of Saint-Felix-de-Valois.^[6]

In 1881, Hartwell-et-Suffolk separated and formed the Township Municipality of Hartwell and the Township Municipality of Suffolk. In 1893, Hartwell was merged with Preston Township, becoming the United Township Municipality of Hartwell-et-Preston.

In 1936, the united townships were separated again and formed Township Municipality of Hartwell and the Municipality of Duhamel. In 1958, Hartwell becomes the Parish Municipality of Chénéville and finally becomes Municipality of Lac-Simon in 1965.^[6]

Lac-Simon's development as a resort area began in the 1950s, and accelerated when the Provincial Government acquired sites bordering the lake and opened a campground. Today, Centre touristique du Lac-Simon is a popular year-round vacation resort.^[5]

Demographics

Population trend:^[8]

• Population in 2011: 984 (2006 to 2011 population change: 13.2%)
• Population in 2006: 869 (2001 to 2006 population change: 27.2%)
• Population in 2001: 683
• Population in 1996: 667
• Population in 1991: 583

Private dwellings (occupied by usual residents): 480 (total: 1206)

Languages:

• English as first language: 2%
• French as first language: 97%
• English and French as first language: 0%
• Other as first language: 1%

Lac-Simon

References

1. Reference number 33359 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (French)
2. Geographic code 80095 in the official Répertoire des municipalités (French)
3. "(Code 2480095) Census Profile". 2011 census. Statistics Canada. 2012.
4. "Lac Simon" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
5. "Centre touristique du Lac-Simon, History". La Sépaq. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
6. "Lac-Simon (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
7. "Hartwell (Canton)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
8. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census