Shannon, Quebec

Last updated

Shannon
City
Reserve ecologique de la Tourbiere-de-Shannon 03.JPG
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]
  MayorSarah Perreault
   Federal riding Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier
   Prov. riding La Peltrie
Area
  Total
64.80 km2 (25.02 sq mi)
  Land63.78 km2 (24.63 sq mi)
Population
 (2016) [3]
  Total
6,031
  Density94.6/km2 (245/sq mi)
  Pop 2011-2016
Increase2.svg 18.6%
  Dwellings
2,277
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
G3S
Area codes 418 and 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. [1]

Demographics

Historical Census Data - Shannon, Quebec [4]
YearPop.±%
1991 3,535    
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%

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

Mother tongue:

Cancer cluster

In 1997, it was discovered that the chemical trichloroethylene seeped into the town's water supply from a nearby munitions factory. [6] [7] 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. [6]

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. [7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Shannon (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  2. 1 2 Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire - Répertoire des municipalités: Shannon
  3. 1 2 Statistics Canada (November 29, 2017). "2016 Community profiles - Shannon" . Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  4. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 census
  5. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Why living in Shannon, Quebec, is bad for your health". The Independent. 2013-08-18. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  7. 1 2 "More residents eligible for compensation after Shannon water contamination". CBC News. 18 Jan 2020.

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