In 1857, a group of Acadian families arrived, in 1872, the Parish of Saint-Pierre-de-la-Pointe-aux-Esquimaux was officially established, the same year its post office opened under the name Esquimaux Point.[5]
In 1873, the place was incorporated as a municipality. In 1924, the post office changed its name to Havre-Saint-Pierre, followed by the town in 1927, in order to focus on the harbor, which characterizes the area, while retaining the original parish name. It remained the largest town on the North Shore until 1936 when it was overtaken by Baie-Comeau.[5]
Havre-Saint-Pierre is located in a place formerly known as Rade aux Esquimaux or Pointe aux Esquimaux, north of the Mingan Archipelago and Anticosti Island, on the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The municipality is located 1000 km east of Montreal, 870 km northeast of Quebec City and 200 km from Sept-Îles. Access.[6][7]
Geology
The Havre Saint-Pierre - Mingan region is located in the geological province of Grenville. It includes rocks of Precambrian and Ordovician age.
Whether they were formed by erosion or sedimentation processes, or whether they were subjected to or resulted from extreme climatic events, or from the action of the sea and its estuary, morpho-sedimentological units bear witness to an extraordinary structural organization of the natural space.
Other important geological features in the vicinity of Havre-Saint-Pierre include the Romaine River to the north west, Manitou Falls on the Manitou River to the west, Île du Havre to the south, less than 1 km from the coast, and off the coast, Anticosti Island which can be seen on a clear day.[8]
Biogeography
Flora
Frère Marie-Victorin (1885–1944), Mingan archipelago 1928, in hand, the C. minganense (large pale plant, with flower heads gathered in a mass surpassed by the leaves
With the exception of the enclosed area just behind the village, the area of Havre Saint-Pierre is mainly covered by large Spruce forests and a few laricinin fields (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch). There are also White spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.), Dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa Minchx), Rough alder (Alnus rugosa (DuRoi Spreng.) and Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux).[9]
Brothers Marie-Victorin and Rolland Germain F.E.C. explored the region from 1924 to 1928. Their work has raised awareness in the scientific community of the enormous value of the Mingan Archipelago. Since then, other scientists have added to the ecology and phytogeography knowledge of this sector.[10]
The vegetation of the Mingan Islands belongs to the Chibougamau-Natashquan boreal forest region, which is dominated by Black spruce. The high latitude and low altitude, combined with the proximity of the cold currents of Labrador, explain the subarctic vegetation specific to the Minganie.
The entirely calcareous nature of the horizontal stratified rocks, which make up the Anticosti - Minganie, exerts a profound influence on the structure of the flora and on the choice of species.
Remarkable for its richness, the flora includes 350 vascular plants including the presence of two rare taxa: Cirsium foliosum var. Minganense and Cypripedium passerinum var. Minganense. Sixty species are new to the list of Minganie harvests compiled by Marie-Victorin and Rolland-Germain (1969). There were also 150 bryophytes and 152 lichens, 29 of which were additions to the Nouveau Catalogue des lichens, published by Lepage (1972).[11][12]
During the summers of 1964 and 1965, during geological research, Jean Depatie with a team of geologists and students, assisted by 3 canoemen and lumberjacks, plus a cook, explored 440 square miles of a territory stretching from Sept-Îles to Blanc Sablon, in the Lac à l'Ours region. In the field, scientists noted an abundance of Canadian beavers, a few otters and American mink, many hares, partridges and a multitude of ducks. Caribou and moose are scarce while black bears and red foxes abound.[8]
In spite of its maritime position just above the 50th parallel, Havre-Saint-Pierre has a relatively harsh subarctic climate, with cold winters and cool summers, although the fourth-warmest month of September is relatively close to the 10 °C (50 °F) isotherm to be cold humid continental. The high precipitation brings a lot of snowfall in winter.[21][22]
Notes: 2011 income data for this area has been suppressed for data quality or confidentiality reasons. References: 2021[23] 2016[24] 2011[25] earlier[26][27]
Historical Census Data - Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec[29]
Census
Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year
Responses
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
2011
3,315
3,270
7.8%
98.64%
25
40.0%
0.75%
15
n/a%
0.45%
5
85.7%
0.15%
2006
3,065
3,015
4.9%
98.37%
15
50.0%
0.49%
0
100.0%
0.00%
35
n/a%
1.14%
2001
3,210
3,170
5.1%
98.75%
30
16.7%
0.93%
10
0.0%
0.31%
0
0.0%
0.00%
1996
3,375
3,340
n/a
98.96%
25
n/a
0.74%
10
n/a
0.30%
0
n/a
0.00%
Economy
Wagons à Havre-Saint-Pierre - Rio Tinto Fer et Titane, Québec, 2017
The city hospital is the major employer in the region. Havre-Saint-Pierre is also located near Canada's only titanium mine, for which the town serves as a port. Since 1948, the Quebec Iron and Titanium Company mines deposits of ilmenite, a mineral composed of iron and titanium, at a site some 40 km (25 mi) north.[5] The Chemin de fer de la Rivière Romaine brings it by rail cars to Havre-Saint-Pierre.
Tourism
Marine transportation from Havre-Saint-Pierre or Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan is required to visit the islands of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve. It is possible to spend the night there. Private companies offer guided excursions, they also offer packages for sea kayaking expeditions, with transport by boat on the way back if the weather conditions are unfavourable. Paddle boards with equipment are available for rent. Parks Canada recommends some marine carriers.[30]' [31]
It is noted for the unique variety of flora and fauna to be found there, such as puffins and the rare Mingan Thistle,[32] and for the unique geological features on many of the islands, which are referred to as "monoliths".
The waters of the St. Lawrence Estuary is the host to one of the largest whale and marine mammals watching industries in the world.[15]' [17]
Route 138 East, Donald Gallienne Bridge over the Moisie River, from the hamlet of Matamec, towards Moisie
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first routes of what would become Route 138 (formerly Route 15) were laid in the vicinity of Sept-Îles. In 1961, a section was added from the Franquelin region to the tip of the Moisie River, some 20 kilometres east of Sept-Îles.
On the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, until 1976, there was no continuous route to go further east than the Moisie River. Only bits of paths connect a few coastal villages to each other, Natashquan connects to Aguanish by a dirt road (1959).
The section of Route 138, from the Moisie River to Havre-Saint-Pierre, opened in the spring of 1976, from there access to the islands of the Mingan Archipelago by sea.
In 1984, to commemorate the 450th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's arrival in New France, the Commission de toponymie named Route Jacques-Cartier to the part of Route 138 located east of the Saguenay River, from Tadoussac to Havre-Saint-Pierre.[34]
The Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium Company (RTFF) owns the easternmost of the ore ports on the North Shore in Havre-Saint-Pierre. Its installation, between 1948 and 1950, included a mining shaft at Tio and Allard lakes, the construction of a 43 km railway line between this sector and Havre-Saint-Pierre, and the installation of a marine terminal[35]
Crossing Anticosti Island – Lower North Shore, the Bella-Desgagnés makes several stopovers, including Havre-Saint-Pierre and Port-Menier[36]
Air Saguenay, the Havre-Saint-Pierre seaplane base, cease operations on November 27, 2019.
Air Tunilik, air transport, Havre-Saint-Pierre seaplane base, founded in 2002[37]
As is often the case on the middle and lower North Shore islands, in the Mingan Archipelago, the combination of irregular seabeds and strong tidal currents sometimes makes navigation perilous. On the Mingan Banks, in the Jacques Cartier Strait, Anticosti Island and the North Shore form a large funnel where the easterly wind creates, among other things, an impressive swell.[41]
Along the Lower North Shore, it is only from Johan Beetz Bay to Kegaska that the coastline is continuous and the water is quite deep. At ebb tide, the high flow of the rivers of the North Shore often creates very difficult, if not clearly dangerous, seas.[42]
^ abJacquelin Harvey (1974). "Havre-Saint-Pierre, the oldest of Quebec's mining ports"(PDF). Erudit (in French). Quebec geography notebooks. Retrieved 13 July 2024. The easternmost of the North Shore ore ports, its closest neighbor, at Sept-Îles, is 126 miles (203 km) upstream.
^Park Canada (2023-07-26). "Plan your visit - Mingan Archipelago - National Park Reserve". Government of Canada. Retrieved 29 January 2024. Take the 138 E highway, or travel by plane to Sept-Îles and drive by car for the remaining 200km. Marine transportation is required from Havre-Saint-Pierre or Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan to visit the islands,
^"Havre-Saint-Pierre all seasons". 2024 Tourisme Côte-Nord. Retrieved 29 January 2024. Where to go, What to do, Where to sleep, Where to eat
^ abJean Depatie (1967). "Preliminaty Report on L'Ours lake area"(PDF). Ministère de l'Énergie et des Ressources naturelles - Gouvernement du Québec. p. 21. Retrieved 29 January 2024. This study focuses on several coastal islands, which are part of the Mingan Archipelago, and covers 400 square miles of Duplessis County
^Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife, Forêt Québec, Forest Inventory Branch (July 2007). "Guide to the Recognition of Ecological Types: Ecological Region Anticosti Island, Mingan Islands"(PDF) (in French). Quebec Gouvernement. Retrieved 19 January 2024. an ecological region is a homogeneous unit in relation to the dynamics of vegetation and variables in the physical environment{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Marie-Victorin (1885–1944) (2003). "Avant-pays Anticosti-Minganie". florelaurentienne.com (in French). pp. 56 of 920. Retrieved 19 January 2024. Because of the importance and biological autonomy of this archipelago, we have given it the name of Minganie{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"Flora of a thousand faces". Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve. Gouvernement of Canada. Retrieved 19 January 2024. The woodlands of the Mingan Islands are made up of Balsam Fir ( Abies balsamea ), Black Spruce ( Picea mariana ) and White Spruce ( Picea glauca ).
^Line Couillard and Pierre Grondin (3 January 2023). "The rare plants of Mingan archipelago"(PDF). Environnement Canada Parks. Retrieved 19 January 2024. picking of all plants is strictly prohibited in national parks.
^George Kolenosky (1992). "Black bear"(PDF). Minister of Environment, Minister of Supply and Services Canada. Retrieved 30 January 2024. Favourite fruits include blueberries, buffalo berries, strawberries, elderberries, saskatoons, black cherries, and apples.
^Parks Canada (2022-11-19). "Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve". Government of Canada. Retrieved 2024-01-16. Seabirds, Seals, Whales, Land Mammals, occasionally, Black Bears and Moose
^ ab"Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS)". 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024. The principal study areas include the Quebec North Shore in the Mingan Island / Anticosti region, the Gaspe Peninsula and St. Lawrence Estuary.
^"St. Lawrence Estuary Marine Protected Area (MPA) Project"(PDF). Fisheries and Oceans Canada. March 2010. pp. 13 of 76. Retrieved 31 January 2024. Nearly half a dozen marine mammal species found in the estuary regularly or occasionally are species at risk listed
^Park Canada (2019-10-24). "Betchouane Migratory Bird Sanctuary". Government of Canada. Retrieved 30 January 2024. this sanctuary including large numbers of razorbill, Atlantic puffin, herring gull and great black-backed gull. Black-legged kittiwake and black guillemot
^"Bird Watching in Côte-Nord". Quebec by the sea. Retrieved 30 January 2024. Côte-Nord is home to hundreds of bird species.
^Government of Canada (2020-12-24). "Marine Birds". Parks Canada. Retrieved 2024-01-18. In order to ensure the reproductive success of these birds, certain islands or sectors of the islands are closed to public during the nesting period
^"1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical)". Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, Part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2). Statistics Canada: 76, 139. July 1973.
^"Go on an adventure". Boréale services maritimes. 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024. our boats: Le Calculot, Captain Yockell, Le Perroquet de Mer, Le Marsouin III, June to October
^Marc Gagnon (January 1998). "North Shore–Anticosti Priority Intervention Zone 19"(PDF). Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada. pp. 42, 43 of 102. Retrieved 26 January 2024. includes all of the gulf coast of the St. Lawrence between Pointe-des-Monts and Blanc-Sablon, as well as the coasts of Anticosti Island.
^"Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium Quebec operations". Rio Tinto. 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024. Producer of titanium dioxide feedstock, iron and steel used in automotive industry and wind turbines
^"Havre-Saint-Pierre Port". Côte-Nord, between nature and excess. 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024. the wharf can accommodate ships, barges, cargo vessels, fishing boats as well as national and international cruises.
^"Côte-Nord". Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec. FCMQ snowmobilers. Retrieved 26 January 2024. At the far east of Quebec, on the North Shore of the Saint-Lawrence and to the eastof the Saguenay River, bordering Labrador (Newfoundland) to the east.
^"The St Lawrence River Hot Spots"(PDF). pp. 4 of 5. Retrieved 1 February 2024. The maps are based on climatological charts of the St Lawrence, published by Environment Canada, Québec Region.
^"National Marine Weather Guide Quebec Regional Guide"(PDF). Environnement Canada. 2015-03-31. pp. 15 of 38. Retrieved 1 February 2024. The easterly wind is particularly strong in the Détroit de Jacques-Cartier, where Anticosti and the north shore form a huge funnel. This wind produces a significant swell on the Bancs de Mingan.
^Pierre Camu (1959). "Ports in the province of Quebec"(PDF). Quebec geography notebooks (in French). Department of Geography at Laval University - udit. pp. 3 of 10. Retrieved 13 October 2024. Ports of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the Côte-Nord Shore: Blanc-Sablon, Harrington Harbor, Natashquan, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Mingan, Port-Menier (Anticosti Island), Cap-aux-Meules (Îles-de-la -Madeleine)
![Fishing vessels and Mineral Port facilities,[1] 2004](File:Havre_St_Pierre_018.jpg)
