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41-787: The main tributaries of the Saint-Maurice River are: Between Weymontachie and Trois-Rivières , the St-Maurice River has 27 tributaries identified as significant enough for downhill wood: Weymontachingue, Manouane , Little Rock, Little Flamand, Windigo , Flamand , Coucoucache, Grande Pierriche (Great Pierriche), Petite Pierriche (Little Pierriche), " La Trenche ", Vermillion , Croche , Rivière-au-Lait, Bostonnais , Little Bostonnais , Small Stream, Mountain, Caribou, Rivière-aux-Rats , Wessonneau , Little Batiscan River, l'Oiseau (Bird), Bête Puante (Beast Puante), Mattawin , Mekinac , River "au Lac des Pêches" and Shawinigan River . During

82-691: A business association. In 1981, the provincial government enacted a law that gave women access to most taverns. By 1986, women had already been admitted in most taverns. While a handful of local taverns evolved into bistros or restaurants, most of them did not survive the industrial decline that characterized the last third of the 20th Century. In the 1950s, Shawinigan Falls entered a period of decline that would last for several decades. Technological improvements made industries less dependent on Shawinigan Falls' geographic location. Therefore, many employers would relocate to nearby larger cities or close down. In 1958, it received city ( cité ) status, and its name

123-661: A change of 0.5% from its 2016 population of 49,349 . With a land area of 729.98 km (281.85 sq mi), it had a population density of 68.0/km (176.1/sq mi) in 2021. The Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League play out of the Centre Gervais Auto in Shawinigan. It played host to the 2012 Memorial Cup hockey tournament and won the Championship, defeating

164-491: A result, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trois-Rivières has had difficulties maintaining its churches and merged a number of its parishes. The Catholic churches are: The current church building for Saint-Pierre was constructed between 1908 and 1937. The structure's stained glass was designed by Italian Canadian artist Guido Nincheri between 1930 and 1961. There are eight public schools. Seven of them are under

205-693: A technical school, several church buildings and two landscaped public parks, including the Saint-Maurice Park. Many of the opulent uphill homes located in the somewhat secluded areas of Maple Street and Hemlock Avenue were occupied by more affluent people, many of whom happened to belong to the once vibrant English-speaking community, which at times comprised more than 30% of the local population. As industrial plants began operation eastward and northward, neighbourhoods were established in Uptown Shawinigan Falls. The emergence of these new districts

246-582: A venue similar to those operated by the U.S. presidential library system and which focuses on the gifts received by the former Prime Minister of Canada (1993-2003) during his official duties. In 1998, Shawinigan merged with the Village Municipality of Baie-de-Shawinigan . On January 1, 2002, Shawinigan amalgamated with much of the Regional County Municipality of Le Centre-de-la-Mauricie . The following municipalities were part of

287-842: Is a city located on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie area in Quebec , Canada. It had a population of 49,620 as of the 2021 Canadian census . Shawinigan is also a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec , coextensive with the city of Shawinigan. Its geographical code is 36. Shawinigan is the seat of the judicial district of Saint-Maurice. The name Shawinigan has had numerous spellings over time: Chaouinigane, Oshaouinigane, Assaouinigane, Achawénégan, Chawinigame, Shawenigane, Chaouénigane. It may mean "south portage", "portage of beeches", "angular portage", or "summit" or "crest". Before 1958,

328-743: Is characteristic of rivers in Canadian Shield . Weymontachie Wemotaci (designated as Weymontachie 23 until 1997) is a First Nations reserve on the north shore of the Saint-Maurice River at the mouth of the Manouane River in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada. Together with the Obedjiwan and the Coucoucache Indian Reserve No. 24 , it belongs to the Atikamekw First Nation. The reserve, an enclave within

369-457: Is the establishment of La Cité de l'Énergie , a theme park based on local industrial history, with a 115-metre-high (377 ft) observation tower . Since it opened in 1997, it has attracted thousands of visitors to the area. It currently hosts bus tours and cruises, as well as entertainment shows and interactive exhibits. Since 2012, it is also home to the Museum of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien ,

410-550: The 1960 election . It was completed on September 2, 1962. In the 1950s, a number of taverns provided a male-only social environment for industrial workers. They were mostly concentrated in Downtown Shawinigan Falls (Saint-Bernard and Saint-Pierre), as well as in the Saint-Marc neighbourhood, as Shawinigan-Sud remained a dry town until 1961, and included the following venues: In 1951, the local tavern keepers formed

451-462: The London Knights in the final. Many of the oldest streets of Shawinigan were numbered, like the streets of Manhattan , New York . Similarly, Avenue Broadway was named after the famous Manhattan thoroughfare. Several other streets and avenues were named to honour famous people, including: In recent years, the church attendance of Catholics in Shawinigan has been on the decline. As

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492-605: The North West Company had already established a trading post at this place between 1770 and 1780, but this remains doubtful. Confirmation of the existence of a trading post at Wemotaci came in 1806, when Jean-Baptiste Perrault built the first structures for fur trading. In 1821, the post was taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company . In 1851, the Government enacted the allotment of 230,000 acres (930 km ) of land as reserves for

533-680: The United Kingdom from 1940 to 1944 and contributed to the Allies ' effort in the Normandy Landings in 1944-45, which led to the Liberation of France . In 1948, a cenotaph , known as Monument des Braves , was erected in downtown Shawinigan Falls at the intersection of Fourth Street and Promenade du Saint-Maurice (then Riverside Street) near the Saint-Maurice River , in honour of soldiers who died during that conflict as well as World War I . By

574-399: The provincial government of Jean Lesage nationalized eleven privately owned electricity companies, including SW&P. While benefiting the population in general, the decision may have been damaging to local interests. In order to offset the decline of the heavy industry, leaders have promoted the expansion of the local hospitality industry . The most notable example of that initiative

615-533: The "river that ends". Jacques Cartier named it "River Fouez" in honor of the House of Foix in 1535. However, this name was abandoned in the early 17th century to the name of "Three Rivers". Its current name was given in the early 18th century in reference to the "fief of Saint-Maurice", the common name of lordship on the west bank granted about 1668 to Maurice Poulin in La Fontaine, government prosecutor of Three Rivers. He

656-442: The 18th century, early fur traders travelled along the river. During the second half of the 19th century, logging became an important industry in the surrounding Mauricie region. For much of the 20th century, the river was used to transport logs to mills down river and it was, and still is, a major source of hydroelectric power. First communication channel in this region, the river was used by local Native Americans long before

697-602: The 1970s, the village revitalized. A new village was built closer to its namesake mountain. In 1971, the Federal Government bought the lands of the Hudson's Bay Company and these were subsequently added to the reserve. In May 2010, many residents of Wemotaci were evacuated as a forest fire threatened their homes. Historic populations: Mother tongue: There are two schools on the reserve: Shawinigan, Quebec Shawinigan ( / ʃ ə ˈ w ɪ n ɪ ɡ ən / )

738-510: The Belgo pulp and paper plant went on strike in 1955. In the 1952 provincial election , Shawinigan sent a Liberal member to the legislature . The gesture was largely considered an affront to Premier Maurice Duplessis , who responded by refusing to approve the construction of a new bridge between Shawinigan Falls and Shawinigan-Sud. The new bridge was not built until after the Liberal Party won

779-501: The SW&;P commissioned Montreal engineering firm Pringle and Son to design a grid plan for a new industrial town on the banks of the Saint-Maurice River , providing the ground work for what would become Downtown Shawinigan. In 1901, the place was incorporated as the Village Municipality of Shawinigan Falls and gained town ( ville ) status a year later in 1902. The hydro-electric generating station contributed to rapid economic growth and

820-551: The Saint-Maurice River was a project to create work during the depression. World War II put Shawinigan Falls, and many others cities in Canada, back on the path of economic recovery . During hostilities, the windows of local power plants were painted black to prevent any possible German aerial attack. The Shawinigan-based 81st Artillery Battery was called to active duty during World War II. Its members were trained in Ontario and

861-500: The Saint-Maurice River, Shawinigan-Sud (then Almaville) maintained home-rule and developed as a residential hub. Local prosperity was interrupted by the Great Depression in the 1930s. Many plants were forced to temporarily reduce or stop their production, which left many residents jobless. Many families needed public assistance to survive. The City Council enacted a public works program to help families. The promenade along

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902-708: The St. Maurice are the property of Hydro-Québec . In 1996, the Saint-Maurice River was the last river in Quebec to stop the transportation of timber by flotation. For nearly 150 years, companies in forestry have used the current of the river and its tributaries for timber transportation. Before being stacked on the ice in Upper-Mauricie , logs were identified in order to be recovered downstream where baunes were implemented, including Grandes-Piles , in Grand-Mère , Shawinigan or Trois-Rivières . Each spring, an army of loggers cleaned

943-514: The arrival of Europeans on the spot. Early explorations by religious conversion in pain and trappers in search of furs for the trade, it was one of the primary routes of rivers in Quebec. Several municipalities have been established on its banks, thereby taking advantage of its hydroelectric power where the falls were high enough to install a dam integration an electrical generating station. Among other cities, La Tuque , Shawinigan and Trois-Rivières are

984-559: The best known, and are themselves located along the Route 155 which connects the St. Lawrence River to Lake St. John . The original name of the river was "Métabéroutin", the name given by Algonquin , which means "discharge of the wind" and in turn, the Attikameks of Haute-Mauricie still call " Sipi Tapiskwan ", the "river of the threaded needle". The Abenaki the call the river "Madôbaladenitekw" or

1025-495: The city of La Tuque , is bordered to the west and south by the Saint-Maurice River, whereas its eastern boundary is about 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) long, and its northern boundary is 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi). It is accessible by gravel road from La Tuque's town centre through the hamlet of Sanmaur that is on the opposite shore of the Saint-Maurice River. Also at this location, the Canadian National Railway crosses

1066-582: The city was known as Shawinigan Falls. Shawinigan is the birthplace of former Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chrétien . In 1651, the Jesuit priest Buteaux was the first European known to have travelled up the Saint-Maurice River to this river's first set of great falls. Afterwards, missionaries going to the Upper Saint-Maurice would rest here. Before Shawinigan Falls was established, the local economy had been largely based on lumber and agriculture . In

1107-561: The early 1950s, the industrial growth in Shawinigan Falls was such that the city offered the steadiest employment and the highest wages in Quebec. Due to this advantageous position, Shawinigan Falls became a hot bed for organized labor and bargaining power. The rise of its working class also favoured the presence of numerous independently owned taverns. As its working class gained economic ground and political leverage, Shawinigan Falls became fertile ground for labour unions. The workers of

1148-531: The late 1890s, Shawinigan Falls drew the interest of foreign entrepreneurs such as John Joyce and John Edward Aldred of the Shawinigan Water & Power Company (SW&P), and of Hubert Biermans of the Belgo Canadian Pulp & Paper Company because of its particular geographic situation. Its falls had the potential to become a favorable location for the production of hydroelectricity . In 1899,

1189-563: The map of John Arrowsmith became the most common form until 1986, when it was replaced by Weymontachie , as demanded by the local band council. The standardized writing of the Atikamekw language spells it as Wemotaci, which was made official in March 1997. The area of the upper Saint-Maurice River had long been the homeland and hunting grounds of the Atikamekw indigenous people. Some sources claim that

1230-425: The merger: Shawinigan has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ) featuring cold and snowy winters coupled with warm and humid summers. Precipitation is moderate to high year round, resulting in heavy winter snowfall, typical of Eastern Canada. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Shawinigan had a population of 49,620 living in 25,060 of its 27,444 total private dwellings,

1271-539: The river and has a siding at Sanmaur. The local economy is based on the art and craft, shops and services, forestry, trapping, construction, tourism, transport and outfitters. Like many other native names, Wemotaci underwent many spelling variations over time. The oldest reference to the toponym is from 1724. In 1827, it was written as Montachene , and in 1829 as Weymontachinque , in 1830 as Waimootansking , in 1832 as Weymontachingue and Warmontashingen , in 1837 as Warmontaching . The 1932 spelling of Weymontachingue on

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1312-414: The river banks for delivering timbers which were hung on the shores, bays, rocks or in riparian wood. The loggers sorted the timbers for relaunching them into the water for redirecting them to Pulp paper plant downstream. In the last 174 kilometers (108 miles), between Trois-Rivières and La Tuque , the experts found 42 fish species frequenting the river. The density of fish biomass is generally low, which

1353-460: The section of town currently known as Shawinigan-Est was annexed in 1932. Uptown Shawinigan Falls had its own fire station by 1922 and its own landscaped public park and swimming pool by 1940. Westside near the Shawinigan River, the existence of the pulp and paper Belgo plant attracted enough residents to form a small, yet stable independent urban community called Baie-de-Shawinigan. Across

1394-694: The supervision of the Commission scolaire de l'Énergie school board. Children who meet Charter of the French Language requirements for instruction in English can attend Shawinigan High School . Its campus is located at 1125, rue des Cèdres and is operated by the Central Québec School Board . Shawinigan is also home of the Séminaire Sainte-Marie , a private institution that provides

1435-582: The town achieved several firsts in Canadian history : first production of aluminum (1901), carborundum (1908), cellophane pellets (1932). Shawinigan Falls also became one of the first Canadian cities with electric street lighting . For decades, the local pulp and paper , chemical and textile industries created thousands of jobs and stimulated city growth (see Sketch Map of Urban Neighborhoods in Shawinigan, 1899-1951). Urban development steadily increased in Downtown Shawinigan Falls. By 1921, this sector

1476-572: The use and benefit of the "Indian" tribes residing in Lower Canada. Two years later, these lands were distributed among the Atikamekw, Algonquins, and Abenakis by John Rolph , Commissioner of Crown Lands. On August 9, 1853, this was made official by the Governor General in Council. But the Atikamekw didn't give up their nomadic life and settle on the reserve. And it wasn't until 1895 that the reserve

1517-472: Was abbreviated to just Shawinigan. As a reaction to declining opportunities, many residents, many of whom were English-speakers, left the area. Shawinigan High School is the only remaining English-language school in the city following the closure of St. Patrick's (closed circa 1983). Shawinigan's last English-language newspaper, the Shawinigan Standard, ceased publication at the end of 1970. In 1963,

1558-631: Was defined by and intertwined with the parish structure of the Roman Catholic Church. The Saint-Marc neighbourhood, originally known as Village St-Onge, was annexed in 1902, extending the city limits to Dufresne Street. The uptown presence of the Canadian Carborundum and Alcan no. Two plants favoured the foundation the Christ-Roi neighbourhood, which was annexed in 1925 extending the city limits to St Sacrement Boulevard. The land now occupied by

1599-460: Was densely filled with commercial buildings on Fourth and Fifth street, as well as Station Avenue, one-family residences along the Riverside corridor (current-day St-Maurice Drive) and multi-story tenements elsewhere. The Olmsted Brothers design firm was hired by the city to implement a beautification program. By the late 1920s, Downtown Shawinigan Falls was home to a public market, a fire station,

1640-610: Was surveyed. The construction of a dam and the National Transcontinental Railway led to the growth of the Sanmaur settlement, which in turn attracted the Atikamekw to the reserve at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1939 however, the Hudson's Bay Company left Weymontachingue and due to lack of funding for maintenance of the village, its population stopped growing after 1950, when its inhabitants began to leave and settled either in Sanmaur or in other nearby villages. In

1681-537: Was the owner of some property along the river in the 17th century. The name "St. Maurice" is attested for the first time in a judgment dated 1723 and definitely supplanted the "Three Rivers" between 1730 and 1740. The river gave its name to the administrative region of Mauricie . Communities on the river include, from the mouth of the river: Order from downstream ( Trois-Rivières ) toward upstream: Territory of Shawinigan Territory of La Tuque Order from downstream ( Trois-Rivières ) to upstream: All plants on

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