Mont-Laurier, Quebec

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Mont-Laurier is a town in northwest Quebec, Canada located on the banks of the Rivière du Lièvre, a tributary of the Ottawa River. Known as "the capital of the Haute-Laurentides", Mont-Laurier was founded in 1885 by Solime Alix. In 2003, it was merged with neighbours Des Ruisseaux and Saint-Aimé-du-Lac-des-Iles, increasing its population to 14,186. Mont-Laurier is the Regional County Municipality seat of Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality.

1 History
2 Law and government
3 Geography
4 Economy
5 Notable Natives
6 Reference

[edit] History

Rapide-de-l'Orignal was founded at the current location of Mont-Laurier, on the Lievre River, in 1885, by Solime Alix. The name was changed in 1909 to honour Canada's Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. In 1940, a road from Mont-Laurier to Abitibi was built. This facilitated the growth of the trucking industry.

[edit] Law and government

The current mayor of Mont-Laurier is Michel Adrien, a black immigrant from Haiti. He was elected in 2003. It is notable that M. Adrien was elected with an 80% majority in a town where more than 99% of the population is white. A city council is also in place. With no opponent running against him, Adrien was acclaimed (although technically reelected) for a second term on November 6, 2005.

The motto of the town is Laurus elationis praemium, which translates to "Lift the laurels of reward".

[edit] Geography

Mont-Laurier is located on the banks of the Rivière du Lièvre, A tributary of the Ottawa River, about 200 kilometres from its mouth. Its location in the Laurentian range of mountains places it at an altitude of 244 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by numerous lakes and mixed forests that support hunting, fishing and leisure, but also logging.

Mont-Laurier is located at the halfway point of the major roadway from Montreal to Abitibi, Quebec route 117, about 250 kilometres northwest of Montreal. Quebec route 309 follows the Lievre and leads to Hull and Ottawa, 216 kilometres to the south.

[edit] Economy

Mont-Laurier is the administrative and commercial centre of the Haute-Lievre area. Many residents are employed by the various governments, the schools and the hospital. Most of the economic activity is generated by tourism, road transport and forestry. There is some agriculture, mostly dairy farming, and dairy products manufacturing.