Lac-Simon, Outaouais

Not to be confused with Lac-Simon, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec.

Lac-Simon
Municipality
Location within Papineau RCM
Lac-Simon Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 45°54′N75°06′W / 45.900°N 75.100°W / 45.900; -75.100 [1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Outaouais
RCM	Papineau
Settled	1845
Constituted	January 1, 1881
Named for	Marie-Louise Cimon [1]
Government [2]
• Mayor	Gaston A. Tremblay
•  Federal riding	Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel
•  Prov. riding	Papineau
Area [2] [3]
• Total	121.90 km2 (47.07 sq mi)
• Land	95.65 km2 (36.93 sq mi)
Population  (2021) [3]
• Total	1,057
• Density	11.1/km2 (29/sq mi)
• Pop 2016-2021	12%
• Dwellings	1,304
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	J0V 1E0
Area code	819
Highways	R-315 R-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, the 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 lake located 121 kilometres (75 mi) 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. ^[1] In 1864, Hartwell Township is formed (named after a place in central Buckinghamshire, England), ^[6] 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. ^[1]

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 the Township Municipality of Hartwell and the Municipality of Duhamel. In 1958, Hartwell became the Parish Municipality of Chénéville and finally became the Municipality of Lac-Simon in 1965. ^[1]

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, Lac-Simon is a popular year-round vacation resort. ^[5]

Demographics

Canada census – Lac-Simon community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	1,057 (+12.0% from 2016)	944 (-4.1% from 2011)	984 (13.2% from 2006)
Land area	95.65 km2 (36.93 sq mi)	97.48 km2 (37.64 sq mi)	97.37 km2 (37.59 sq mi)
Population density	11.1/km2 (29/sq mi)	9.7/km2 (25/sq mi)	10.1/km2 (26/sq mi)
Median age	60.0 (M: 60.4, F: 59.2)	59.6 (M: 60.4, F: 58.8)	57.5 (M: 58.0, F: 56.9)
Private dwellings	1,304 (total)  554 (occupied)	1,373 (total)	1,145 (total)
Median household income	$68,500	$57,088

References: 2021 ^[7] 2016 ^[8] 2011 ^[9] earlier ^{[10] [11]}

Historical census populations – Lac-Simon, Quebec

Year	Pop.	±%
1986	471	—
1991	583	+23.8%
1996	667	+14.4%
2001	683	+2.4%
2006	869	+27.2%
2011	984	+13.2%
2016	944	−4.1%
2021	1,057	+12.0%

Lac-Simon

Mother tongue: ^[3]

• English as first language: 3.8%
• French as first language: 94.8%
• English and French as first language: 0.5%
• Other as first language: 0.9%

References

1. "Reference number 33359 in Banque de noms de lieux du Québec". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
2. "Geographic code 80095 in the official Répertoire des municipalités". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
3. "Data table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Lac-Simon, Municipalité (MÉ) [Census subdivision], Quebec". 9 February 2022.
4. "Lac Simon (lake)" (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. "Hartwell (Canton)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
7. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
8. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
9. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
10. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
11. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.

External links

Media related to Lac-Simon, Outaouais, Quebec at Wikimedia Commons