Most of the economy depends on the agricultural industries of the surrounding plains. It is also the cultural centre of the region.
History
In 1647, the L'Assomption Seignory was granted to Pierre Legardeur de Repentigny, named after the river already named such since the seventeenth century. Between 1640 and 1700, a settlement formed inside a large horseshoe-shaped meander of the L'Assomption River. Amerindians had already been visiting this site since ancient times and called it Outaragasipi meaning winding river, in reference to the river's course. They would drag their canoes across the peninsula as a short-cut for the meander, and therefore the settlement was first called Le Portage.[2]
In 1717, the parish was formed, known thereafter as Saint-Pierre-du-Portage-de-l'Assomption and also as Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul-du-Portage. In 1766, the village saw an influx of Acadian settlers. Between 1774 and 1888, L'Assomption was the most prosperous and important town between Montreal and Trois-Rivieres.[2]
In 1845, the L'Assomption Municipality was established, abolished in 1847, but reestablished as a parish municipality in 1855. In 1846, the village itself became a separate Village Municipality and obtained town status in 1888.[2]
In 1992, the town and parish municipality were merged again, and on July 1, 2000, the neighbouring Parish Municipality of Saint-Gérard-Majella was amalgamated with Ville de L'Assomption.[2]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, L'Assomption had a population of 23,442 living in 9,206 of its 9,369 total private dwellings, a change of 4.5% from its 2016 population of 22,429. With a land area of 98.74 km2 (38.12 sq mi), it had a population density of 237.4/km2 (614.9/sq mi) in 2021.[8]
Canada Census Mother Tongue – L'Assomption, Quebec[7]
Census
Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year
Responses
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
2021
23,245
21,775
2.4%
93.7%
245
19.5%
1.1%
165
43.5%
0.7%
865
61.7%
3.7%
2016
22,220
21,270
11.0%
95.7%
205
5.1%
0.9%
115
15.0%
0.5%
535
50.7%
2.4%
2011
19,815
19,165
19.0%
96.7%
195
2.5%
1.0%
100
185.7%
0.5%
355
77.5%
1.8%
2006
16,545
16,110
7.5%
97.4%
200
8.1%
1.2%
35
22.2%
0.2%
200
53.8%
1.2%
2001
15,340
14,980
37.8%
97.7%
185
131.2%
1.2%
45
28.6%
0.3%
130
160.0%
0.9%
1996
11,035
10,870
n/a
98.5%
80
n/a
0.7%
35
n/a
0.3%
50
n/a
0.5%
Education
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2017)
The Collège de l'Assomption was founded in 1832. The school building has remained on the same site since its creation, making it an official historical site.
The Commission scolaire des Affluents is the main school board in the region. It operates many francophone public schools, both at the elementary and high school levels, including:
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