Dolbeau-Mistassini facts Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Dolbeau-Mistassini
City
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
RCM	Maria-Chapdelaine
Settled	1892
Constituted	December 17, 1997
Government
• Mayor	Richard Hébert
• Federal riding	Lac-Saint-Jean
• Prov. riding	Roberval
Area
• City	355.60 km2 (137.30 sq mi)
• Land	295.67 km2 (114.16 sq mi)
• Metro	651.79 km2 (251.66 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• City	14,384
• Density	48.6/km2 (126/sq mi)
• Metro	16,019
• Metro density	24.6/km2 (64/sq mi)
• Pop (2006–11)	1.1%
• Dwellings	6,755
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s)	G8L
Area code(s)	418 and 581
Climate	Dfb
Website	www.ville.dolbeau-mistassini.qc.ca

Dolbeau-Mistassini is a town in northern Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Mistassibi River, Riviere aux Rats and the Mistassini River, on Lac Saint-Jean. Dolbeau-Mistassini is in the Maria-Chapdelaine Regional County Municipality and is the commercial hub of Lac-St-Jean with big stores and shopping centres.

The city was formed in 1997 through the amalgamation of the cities of Dolbeau and Mistassini. Dolbeau is located on the right (west) bank of the Mistassini River, in the geographic township of Parent (not in the adjacent Dolbeau Township). The town of Mistassini is on the left (east) bank of the Mistassini River at the confluence with the Mistassibi River, directly opposite Dolbeau.

History

The first settler in Mistassini may have been François Gaudreault in 1884. But credit is given to Trappists for founding the town, an exceptional case in Quebec. In 1892, the Trappists of Oka were granted 2,025 hectares (5,000 acres) of land between the Mistassini and Mistassibi Rivers by the government of Charles Boucher de Boucherville. They first settled at the mouth of the Mistassibi then on the shores of Lac Saint-Jean. In 1895, the Parish of Saint-Michel-de-Mistassini was founded, and two years later, it was incorporated as a municipality.

In 1930, the town centre of Saint-Michel-de-Mistassini separated from the municipality to form the Village Municipality of Mistassini. During the construction of the Chute-des-Passes Dam on the Peribonka River in 1944, it experienced commercial growth and gained city status in 1947. In 1976, the Municipality of Saint-Michel-de-Mistassini and the Village Municipality of Mistassini were merged again to form the City of Mistassini.

As for Dolbeau, it was founded in 1926 by English industrialist Emil Andrew Wallberg who established there the Lake Saint John Power and Paper Co. paper mill. The town, incorporated in 1927, was named after Jean Dolbeau (1586–1652), Récollet missionary in the Tadoussac and Lac Saint-Jean area from 1615 to 1617 and from 1618 to 1620.

On December 17, 1997, the cities of Dolbeau and Mistassini were merged to form the City of Dolbeau-Mistassini.

Demographics

Population trend:

• Population in 2011: 14,384 (2006 to 2011 population change: -1.1 %)
• Population in 2006: 14,546
• Population in 2001: 14,879
• Population total in 1996: 15,214
  • Dolbeau (ville): 8,310
  • Mistassini (ville): 6,904
• Population in 1991:
  • Dolbeau (ville): 8,181
  • Mistassini (ville): 6,842

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 6,312 (total dwellings: 6,755)

Mother tongue:

• English as first language: 0.5%
• French as first language: 98.9%
• English and French as first language: 0.1%
• Other as first language: 0.5%

Tourism

The following are the attractions in Dolbeau-Mistassini:

• Do-Mi-Ski: local ski resort
• Festival Western
• Downtown Beaches and Beaches on the Lac-St-Jean shores
• Dolbeau-St-Félicien Airport
• Entrance of the Great Quebec north for hunting and fishing
• Rafting spots on the Mistassibi
• Festival of Stories (told at night) for the whole summer
• Festival du bleuet August

Blueberry Festival

A symbol of the Lac Saint-Jean region, the blueberry is celebrated during this festival every year between August 3 and 7. Festivities include exhibitions, animation, performances, giant games, blueberry contests, a parade by night, and the baking of a giant blueberry pie. It is celebrated in August, the month which blueberries are picked up in blueberry fields.

Climate

Climate data for Mistassini
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	7.8 (46)	8 (46)	16 (61)	28.5 (83.3)	33 (91)	36.1 (97)	36 (97)	36.7 (98.1)	31.5 (88.7)	26.1 (79)	17.8 (64)	10.5 (50.9)	36.7
Average high °C (°F)	-11.8 (10.8)	-9.5 (14.9)	-1.1 (30)	7.3 (45.1)	16.4 (61.5)	21.9 (71.4)	23.9 (75)	22.4 (72.3)	16.4 (61.5)	8.8 (47.8)	0.9 (33.6)	-8.1 (17.4)	7.3 (45.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−18.5 (-1.3)	−16.7 (1.9)	−7.3 (18.9)	2.1 (35.8)	9.9 (49.8)	15.2 (59.4)	17.6 (63.7)	16.3 (61.3)	10.9 (51.6)	4.4 (39.9)	-3.1 (26.4)	−13.7 (7.3)	1.4 (34.5)
Average low °C (°F)	-24.9 (-12.8)	-23.8 (-10.8)	-13.6 (7.5)	-3.1 (26.4)	3.4 (38.1)	8.5 (47.3)	11.2 (52.2)	10 (50)	5.4 (41.7)	0.1 (32.2)	-7.1 (19.2)	-19.4 (-2.9)	-4.4 (24.1)
Record low °C (°F)	-46.1 (-51)	-46.1 (-51)	-40 (-40)	-27.8 (-18)	-11.7 (10.9)	-5 (23)	0.6 (33.1)	-1.7 (28.9)	-7 (19)	-13.3 (8.1)	-32.2 (-26)	-45 (-49)	-46.1
Precipitation mm (inches)	62.9 (2.476)	41.7 (1.642)	47.4 (1.866)	52.6 (2.071)	84.3 (3.319)	81.6 (3.213)	117.1 (4.61)	111.9 (4.406)	103.7 (4.083)	79.6 (3.134)	66.7 (2.626)	70.3 (2.768)	919.9 (36.217)
Rainfall mm (inches)	6.3 (0.248)	2 (0.08)	16.2 (0.638)	40.1 (1.579)	83.6 (3.291)	81.6 (3.213)	117.1 (4.61)	111.9 (4.406)	103.7 (4.083)	73.9 (2.909)	39.6 (1.559)	6.2 (0.244)	682.1 (26.854)
Snowfall cm (inches)	56.6 (22.28)	39.7 (15.63)	31.2 (12.28)	12.5 (4.92)	0.7 (0.28)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	5.8 (2.28)	27.2 (10.71)	64.1 (25.24)	237.8 (93.62)
Source: Environment Canada

• (French) Official Site
• (French) Festival du bleuet de Dolbeau-Mistassini (Annual blueberry festival)