Saint-Lazare, Quebec
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint-Lazare, Quebec | |
| — Ville — | |
| Coordinates (1960, chemin Sainte-Angélique): | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Montérégie |
| RCM | Vaudreuil-Soulanges |
| Established | 29th Dec 1875 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Paul Carzoli |
| - Federal MP Vaudreuil-Soulanges |
Meili Faille (Bloc Québécois) |
| - Quebec MNA Soulanges |
Lucie Charlebois (Parti Libéral du Québec) |
| Area | |
| - Land | 66.53 km² (25.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2007 estimates) | |
| - Total | 17 901 |
| - Density | 269.1/km² (697/sq mi) |
| - Change ~2001 | +32.0% |
| - Dwellings | 5,765 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 450 |
Access Routes A-20 A-40 |
 Route 340 Route 342 |
| Website: www.ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca | |
Saint-Lazare also known as Saint-Lazare-de-Vaudreuil is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada in the Regional County Municipality of Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
The first French-speaking colonists began settling in the 18th century on the land granted by the Lord who, at the time, owned Vaudreuil, Rigaud and Lotbinière. These three domains were subdivided in concessions. Among those of Vaudreuil were Côte St-Charles, Pointe Cavagnol and Côte St-Louis where Solomon Grout was the first to settle in 1812. The first settlers cultivated the land and traded their crops in exchange for the use of the land. Their harvests included oat, rye, buckwheat, corn, potatoes, peas, beans, tomatoes and hay. The majority of the first English-speaking immigrants arrived after the war of 1812. Most immigrants were from New-England, and those that were from England mainly came from Cumberland and Scotland. In 1875, residents living in the parish we now call St-Lazare, expressed their desire to create a distinct region. On December 29th, 1875, an act confers the status of municipality to the territory of St-Lazare which, in 1876, takes the name of the Corporation Municipale de la Paroisse de St-Lazare. The Lord’s tenure is also abolished.
According to stories carried on from generation to generation, other business men would have been seduced by the idea of exploiting iron mines along the Sainte-Angélique concession road. This first production and extraction of natural resources became an incentive for other merchants to settle in the area : three sawmills to handle tree cuttings and fulfill local construction needs, horses to pull wagons carrying mineral extracts to be shipped off to the iron forges of those days including that of St-Maurice. From agriculture to mines to mills, St-Lazare sees the beginning of its commercial activity. The residents of Saint-Lazare are named Lazarois and Lazaroise, not be confused with Lazarien and Lazariene from St-Lazare-de-Bellechasse.
[edit] Demographics
According to the 2006 Statistics Canada Census[1]:
- Population: 17,016
- % Change (2001 – 2006): 32.0
- Dwellings: 5,765
- Area (km²): 66.53
- Density (persons per km²): 255.7
- Average Annual Household Income: $49,687, compared to an average of $19,385 in the Province of Quebec.
Mother tongue language from Canada 2006 Census
| Language | Population | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French only | 9,230 | 54.25% |
| English only | 6,165 | 36.23% |
| Both English and French | 250 | 1.47% |
| Other languages | 1,370 | 8.05% |
Saint-Lazare experienced rapid growth since 1990. The population of St-Lazare increase significantly with new residents flocking to the area escaping the confines of city life on the island of Montreal. Predominantly young middle class families, Saint-Lazare enjoys a family values that meld well with country life. A trial bus service is currently in process of being tested to provide public transportation to St Lazare and back from John Abbott College in nearby Saint-Anne-De-Bellevue on the island of Montreal. The distribution of wealth in Saint-Lazare ranges from lower middle class to upper middle class and the average income is significantly above the provincial average. Current population is unofficially around 17,000 inhabitants with further growth forecast as new developments are planned along Côte-St-Charles and further along St-Angelique. A new sports centre was opened to the public in 2006 along with a new senior elementary school, Forest Hill Senior. Several highschools in the surrounding area provide secondary education to the region's growing young population: two English language highschools, Westwood High Senior and Westwood High Junior, one French language highschool, Cité-des-Jeunes in Vaudreuil-Dorion, and Collège-Bourget in Rigaud, a semi-private French-speaking institution.
Saint-Lazare is graced by significant public funding for its ambitious recreational projects. Bedard Park in the centre of the town is a relatively large park equipped with a small water park, a grass field, three baseball diamonds, and in the winter two ice-skating rinks are added. This park also hosts the annual St-Jean-de-Baptiste festival which attracts hundreds of patriotic citizens. Other parks in St-Lazare are scattered amongst the small subdivisions across the municipality.
History of the Town
- 2001 On December 29, Saint-Lazare officially becomes a "Town".
- 2001 Saint-Lazare inaugurates its new community center to serve a population of 13 310.
- 2000 The Town evacuates more than 70% of its territory during the fire than destroyed the Regent chemical plant. The Town also celebrates its 125th anniversary.
- 1998 The roof of the Roman Catholic Church must be redone following the ice storm.
- 1997 The new des Seigneuries police Corp is created and replaced the one dedicated to Saint-Lazare.
- 1993 The municipal logo, we know today, is adopted. It represents the groundwater, the sand, the forest canopy, the equestrian vocation as well as the environmental quality.
- 1986 Saint-Lazare counts 5064 residents.
[edit] Communities
- Saint-Lazare-de-Vaudreuil
- Saint-Lazare-Sud
- Surrounding area - Hudson, Quebec
[edit] References
- Site officiel de la Ville de Saint-Lazare - Official web site of Ville de Saint-Lazare
- Affaires Municipales et Regions Quebec
- Statistics Canada
- Elections Canada Results - 39th General Election (2006)
- Director General of Quebec Elections
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Hudson |
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