Shannon, Quebec

Last updated

Shannon
City
Reserve ecologique de la Tourbiere-de-Shannon 03.JPG
Tourbière-de-Shannon
Nickname: 
Shannon City
Shannon Quebec location diagram.png
Location within La Jacques-Cartier RCM
Canada Central Quebec location map.png
Red pog.svg
Shannon
Location in central Quebec
Coordinates: 46°53′N71°31′W / 46.883°N 71.517°W / 46.883; -71.517 [1]
CountryFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Province Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec
Region Capitale-Nationale
RCM La Jacques-Cartier
Settled1830s
ConstitutedJanuary 1, 1947
Government
[2]
 • Mayor Sarah Perreault
 •  Fed. riding Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier
 •  Prov. riding La Peltrie
Area
[2] [3]
 • Total
65.02 km2 (25.10 sq mi)
 • Land63.54 km2 (24.53 sq mi)
Population
 (2021) [3]
 • Total
6,432
 • Density101.2/km2 (262/sq mi)
 • Pop (2016-21)
Increase2.svg 6.6%
 • Dwellings
2,437
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
G3S
Area codes 418, 581
HighwaysQc369.svg R-369
Website shannon.ca OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Shannon is a city in Quebec, Canada, and is along the Jacques-Cartier River northwest of Quebec City.

Contents

It was formed in December 1946, when it separated from the territory of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fossambault, following protests of this part of the population against the municipal taxes. The community was founded by Irish immigrants and once contained a substantial English-speaking population though it is today chiefly French-speaking. Its longtime principal economic activity was the exploitation of wood bound for the shipyards of Quebec. The town is located near CFB Valcartier, an important Canadian military base.

History

The area was first settled in the 19th century, by mostly Irish immigrants. The place may have been named after a prominent settler family, as religious records indicated the death of a certain Richard Shannon in 1831 and Simon Shannon the next year. Further impetus to its development came around 1850, when the timber industry began, and in 1860, when a sawmill was built. Around 1861, about two thirds of the population was Irish and by 1900 half of the population. [1]

In 1905, the Shannon Post Office opened. In 1914, part of Shannon's territory was expropriated to enlarge the Valcartier military base. [1]

In 1947, the Municipality of Shannon was officially established, when it separated from the Parish Municipality of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fossambault. It changed statutes in 2017 to become a city. [1]

Cancer cluster

In 1997, it was discovered that the chemical trichloroethylene seeped into the town's water supply from a nearby munitions factory. [4] [5] That was claimed to increase the rates of cancers in the area, with more than 3,000 people taking part in a group lawsuit against the federal government in 2003. [4]

After years of campaigning, compensation was later awarded to some local residents, but the court did not endorse the link between the contamination and cancers. Instead, compensation was awarded for the contamination of water supplies. [5]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Shannon had a population of 6,432 living in 2,332 of its 2,437 total private dwellings, a change of

Historical Census Data - Shannon, Quebec
YearPop.±%
1951 281—    
1956 351+24.9%
1961 3,703+955.0%
1966 3,806+2.8%
1971 3,998+5.0%
1976 3,539−11.5%
1981 3,488−1.4%
1986 3,311−5.1%
YearPop.±%
1991 3,535+6.8%
1996 3,751+6.1%
2001 3,668−2.2%
2006 3,825+4.3%
2011 5,086+33.0%
2016 6,031+18.6%
2021 6,432+6.6%
Source: Statistics Canada [3] [6] [7]

Mother tongue (2021): [3]

Government

List of former mayors:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Shannon (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  2. 1 2 "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 22020". www.quebec.ca (in French). Gouvernement du Québec. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Shannon, Quebec (Code 2422020) Census Profile". 2021 census . Government of Canada - Statistics Canada . Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  4. 1 2 "Why living in Shannon, Quebec, is bad for your health". The Independent. 2013-08-18. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  5. 1 2 "More residents eligible for compensation after Shannon water contamination". CBC News. 18 Jan 2020.
  6. ↑ 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 census
  7. ↑ "1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical)". Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2). Statistics Canada. July 1973.
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