Rimouski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rimouski
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| City of Rimouski Ville de Rimouski |
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Skyline of Rimouski from St. Lawrence River
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| Motto(s):
Legi patrum fidelis (Fidèles à la loi de nos pères)
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Location within Rimouski-Neigette RCM
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 416: Malformed coordinates value. | |||||
| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  Quebec |
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| Region | Bas-Saint-Laurent | ||||
| RCM | Rimouski-Neigette | ||||
| Constituted | January 1, 2002 | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • City | 529.50 km2 (204.44 sq mi) | ||||
| • Land | 339.13 km2 (130.94 sq mi) | ||||
| • Urban | 28.52 km2 (11.01 sq mi) | ||||
| • Metro | 772.93 km2 (298.43 sq mi) | ||||
| Population
(2021)
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| • City | 48,935 | ||||
| • Density | 144.3/km2 (374/sq mi) | ||||
| • Urban | 39,840 (75th) | ||||
| • Urban density | 1,396.9/km2 (3,618/sq mi) | ||||
| • Metro | 53,944 (60th) | ||||
| • Metro density | 69.8/km2 (181/sq mi) | ||||
| • Change 2016-2021 |
 0.8% |
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| • Dwellings | 24,262 | ||||
| Demonym(s) | Rimouskois, Rimouskoise | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| Postal code(s) |
G5L to G5N
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| Area code(s) | 418 and 581 | ||||
Highways A-20 |
 Route 132 Route 232 |
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| Geocode | 24 10043 | ||||
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Rimouski is a city in Quebec, Canada. It is located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. You can find it where the Rimouski River meets the Saint Lawrence Estuary. The city is about 300 km (186 miles) downstream from Quebec City.
As of 2021, about 48,935 people live in Rimouski. The city's motto is Legi patrum fidelis, which means "Faithful to the law of our fathers." Rimouski is home to important schools like Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) and the Cégep de Rimouski. It also has a Music Conservatory and several ocean science research centers.
Contents
History of Rimouski
The name Rimouski likely comes from a Micmac word. This word means "land of the moose." Sir René Lepage de Ste-Claire founded the city in 1696. He traded land he owned for the Seigneurie (a type of land ownership) of Rimouski.
This land stretched along the St. Lawrence River. René Lepage and his family moved to Rimouski. They owned the land until 1790. Then, they sold it to a businessman from Quebec City, Joseph Drapeau.
The "Maison Lamontagne" was built in 1750. Marie-Agnès Lepage, René Lepage's granddaughter, had it built. The house is named after a family who lived there in 1844. It is one of Quebec's oldest houses made with a special wood frame. Today, it is in the Rimouski-Est area.
A boulevard, a park, and a monument in Rimouski are named after René Lepage. They honor his role in founding the city.
The "Red Night" Fire
On May 6, 1950, Rimouski had a very big fire. This event is called La nuit rouge, which means "Red Night" in French. The fire started in a lumber yard. Strong winds quickly pushed the flames across the Rimouski River.
The fire destroyed 319 houses. This was about half of the city. Luckily, no one died in the fire. A local legend says that a priest sprinkled holy water around the city's cathedral. The fire then stopped and did not cross that line.
Rimouski's Climate
Rimouski has a humid continental climate. This means it has cold, snowy winters. Summers are warm and rainy.
| Climate data for Rimouski (1981−2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
21.1 (70.0) |
29.0 (84.2) |
32.8 (91.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
36.0 (96.8) |
33.9 (93.0) |
33.0 (91.4) |
26.5 (79.7) |
21.5 (70.7) |
15.0 (59.0) |
36.0 (96.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −7.4 (18.7) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
0.0 (32.0) |
7.3 (45.1) |
14.8 (58.6) |
20.6 (69.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
22.1 (71.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
8.5 (47.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −11.4 (11.5) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
3.3 (37.9) |
9.9 (49.8) |
15.4 (59.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
12.9 (55.2) |
6.6 (43.9) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
4.4 (39.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −15.4 (4.3) |
−13.5 (7.7) |
−8.1 (17.4) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
4.9 (40.8) |
10.2 (50.4) |
13.3 (55.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
8.5 (47.3) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−10 (14) |
0.2 (32.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −33 (−27) |
−32 (−26) |
−25.5 (−13.9) |
−22 (−8) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
3.0 (37.4) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−16.5 (2.3) |
−30.6 (−23.1) |
−33 (−27) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 71.1 (2.80) |
64.7 (2.55) |
60.4 (2.38) |
65.4 (2.57) |
84.8 (3.34) |
84.9 (3.34) |
91.3 (3.59) |
85.5 (3.37) |
87.9 (3.46) |
91.5 (3.60) |
83.5 (3.29) |
87.6 (3.45) |
958.5 (37.74) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 8.0 (0.31) |
8.2 (0.32) |
14.6 (0.57) |
50.8 (2.00) |
83.5 (3.29) |
84.9 (3.34) |
91.3 (3.59) |
85.5 (3.37) |
87.9 (3.46) |
89.7 (3.53) |
56.7 (2.23) |
25.4 (1.00) |
686.5 (27.03) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 63.1 (24.8) |
56.4 (22.2) |
45.8 (18.0) |
16.1 (6.3) |
1.3 (0.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.8 (0.7) |
26.8 (10.6) |
62.2 (24.5) |
273.5 (107.7) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 15.1 | 12.3 | 11.5 | 12.7 | 14.4 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 13.8 | 14.2 | 15.4 | 13.3 | 14.2 | 166.7 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 10.1 | 14.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 13.8 | 14.2 | 15.3 | 8.6 | 3.0 | 115.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 14.2 | 11.2 | 8.4 | 3.4 | 0.46 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.43 | 6.0 | 11.9 | 56.0 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 52.8 | 89.3 | 134.3 | 155.4 | 192.2 | 217.2 | 231.5 | 221.1 | 157.7 | 95.8 | 55.3 | 51.9 | 1,654.5 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 19.4 | 31.3 | 36.5 | 38.0 | 40.8 | 45.1 | 47.7 | 49.8 | 41.6 | 28.5 | 19.9 | 19.9 | 34.9 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Rimouski's Population and People
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In the 2021 Census, Rimouski had a population of 48,935 people. They lived in 23,470 homes. This was a small increase of 0.6% from 2016. The city covers a land area of 339.13 square kilometers.
| Canada census – Rimouski community profile | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2011 | ||
| Population: | 48,664 (+3.8% from 2011) | 46,860 (+3.7% from 2006) | |
| Land area: | 339.64 km2 (131.14 sq mi) | 339.84 km2 (131.21 sq mi) | |
| Population density: | 143.3/km2 (371/sq mi) | 137.9/km2 (357/sq mi) | |
| Median age: | 47.5 (M: 44.7, F: 49.9) | 46.4 (M: 44.2, F: 48.2) | |
| Total private dwellings: | 24,262 | 22,703 | |
| Median household income: | $56,728 | $57,841 | |
| References: 2016 2011 earlier | |||
Most people in Rimouski speak French as their first language. In 2021, 97.2% of the population spoke French. About 0.8% spoke English. Other languages made up a small part of the population.
| Language | Population | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English | 230 | 1% |
| French | 47,910 | 98% |
| Other | 295 | 1% |
Rimouski's Economy
The Maritime Sector
One of the most important parts of Rimouski's economy is its connection to the sea. Around 1900, the port was key for mail ships. These ships would pick up mail from big ocean liners. Then, the mail would travel by train to Quebec City. This made mail arrive much faster.
Today, Rimouski is home to the Institut Maritime du Québec. This school teaches only about marine topics. The city also has many research centers focused on the ocean. These include the Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER).
The St. Lawrence Global Observatory is also based in Rimouski. This group helps share information about the St. Lawrence River ecosystem. This helps manage the river in a sustainable way.
A ferry used to connect Rimouski to Forestville. It crossed the river twice a day from May to September. Currently, this ferry service is not running.
The port has five places for ships to dock. They are 130 to 213 meters long. The water is 7.3 meters deep. The port is mostly used for moving salt from one ship to another.
A special tide station is located at Pointe-au-Père. It helps measure the average sea level for all of North America. This measurement is used to figure out altitudes across the continent.
Arts and Culture in Rimouski
Rimouski has a lively cultural scene. It hosts many fun festivals.
- The Festi Jazz International has been held since 1982.
- The Grandes Fêtes du Saint-Laurent is a family music event. It happens on the first weekend of July.
- The Carrousel international du film de Rimouski is an international film festival.
In November, Rimouski hosts the yearly Salon du Livre de Rimouski. This is the oldest book fair in Quebec. It started in 1964. A group of women who loved books wanted to make literature easier for young readers to find.
More than 125 authors from the region attend this event every year. Over 300 Quebec publishers also set up booths. The event gets more than 8,000 visitors each year.
The Music Conservatory of Quebec at Rimouski opened in 1973. It is part of a network of music and drama schools in Quebec. Many famous musicians were born in or near Rimouski. These include André Laplante and Joseph Rouleau.
Popular Attractions
One of Rimouski's main attractions is the Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père. This historical site has a museum about the RMS Empress of Ireland. It also features the Pointe-au-Père lighthouse.
The museum tells the story of the Empress of Ireland disaster. This shipwreck caused 1,012 deaths. It was one of the deadliest peacetime shipwrecks in the 20th century. Only the Titanic tragedy had more deaths.
Sports in Rimouski
Rimouski loves sports events. The city hosted the Jeux du Québec in 2001. It also hosted the Memorial Cup Tournament in 2009.
Since 1995, Rimouski has been home to a QMJHL team. They are called the Rimouski Océanic. Many famous hockey players have played for the Océanic. These include Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, and Alexis Lafrenière.
Transportation in Rimouski
The city has its own Rimouski Airport (YXK). This airport is for private planes and cargo. The larger Mont-Joli Airport (YYY) is 35 km (22 miles) east of Rimouski. It has daily flights to cities in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Between April and October, a ferry called the CNM Evolution operates. It crosses the Saint Lawrence River between Rimouski and Forestville, Quebec. This ferry is the fastest in Quebec, taking only 55 minutes to cross.
Rimouski is also one end of the Nordik-Express line. This weekly line travels 1150 km (715 miles). It stops at many towns along the North Shore. Most stops are in Quebec, but one is in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Canadian National railway passes through Rimouski. The VIA Rail service stops here three times a week. You can travel west to Quebec City and Montreal. You can also go east to Moncton and Halifax.
The Orleans Express bus service also serves Rimouski. The Rimouski station is on the main road from Quebec City to the maritime provinces.
Sister Cities
Rimouski has a special connection with another city. It is twinned with:
Westmount, Quebec, Canada (since 1968)
Notable People from Rimouski
- Philomène Belliveau (1854–1940), an artist who lived and died in Rimouski.
- Maude Charron, a weightlifter who won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
- Bernard Voyer, a famous explorer and mountaineer.
- Patrick Côté, a former UFC fighter.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois, an NHL hockey player who grew up in Rimouski.
See also
In Spanish: Rimouski para niños
