Saint-Donat (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ dɔna]) is a township municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, part of the Regional County Municipality of Matawinie, within the larger administrative region of Lanaudière.[1] The municipality is also known as Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm to distinguish it from the parish municipality of Saint-Donat in La Mitis RCM to distinguish it from a parish municipality with the same name in La Mitis RCM.[5] It is located approximately 135 kilometres (84 mi) northwest of Montreal. The town is surrounded by mountains and numerous water basins of the Laurentian Mountains. The municipality borders Mont-Tremblant National Park.
Saint-Donat | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Principal Street | |
_Quebec_location_diagram.png) Location within Matawinie RCM | |
  Saint-Donat Location in central Quebec | |
| Coordinates: 46°19′N 74°13′W / 46.317°N 74.217°W[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Lanaudière |
| RCM | Matawinie |
| Settled | c. 1876 |
| Constituted | February 19, 1904 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Joé Deslauriers |
| • Fed. riding | Joliette |
| • Prov. riding | Bertrand |
| Area | |
| 389.08 km2 (150.22 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 350.17 km2 (135.20 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 3.26 km2 (1.26 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[3] | |
| 4,561 | |
| • Density | 13/km2 (34/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,512 |
| • Urban density | 464.3/km2 (1,203/sq mi) |
| • Change 2016-21 |  17.3% |
| • Dwellings | 4,527 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Postal code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 819 |
| Highways |  R-125  R-329 |
| Website | www |
History
editSaint-Donat was founded sometime near 1876 by a religious community of suffragettes as the "Saint-Donat Parish" near the church (located at the intersection of Principale and Allard streets). It was therefore first settled in the mid-to-late 19th century, as a solution to the overcrowding of cities such as Montreal. Over time, the small village received urban population attracted by its beautiful landscape and the town was officially established in 1904.[1]
In 1943, a RCAF Liberator III crashed on Black Mountain (French: Montagne Noire) in Saint-Donat, killing 24 people—the worst accident in Canadian military aviation history.[6][7]
By 1950, Saint-Donat had reached a population of 2,000. As of 2021, the town was nearing 4,600 permanent residents.
Geography
edit
Saint-Donat is located in the Laurentian Mountains, approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi), or a 90-minute drive, north-west of Montreal.
Topography
editThe average altitude of the municipality is 519 metres (1,703 ft), and its highest point is the summit of Montagne Noire at 892 metres (2,927 ft).[7]
Several hiking trails criss-cross the mountains in the municipality. They are cleared and maintained by various volunteer groups and walking clubs in collaboration with the municipality.
Hydrography
editThe territory of Saint-Donat is very large and has many lakes, including the imposing Archambault and Ouareau lakes, as well as many other smaller lakes such as Lac Baribeau, Lac Pembina, Lac Croche, and others. Among its many rivers are the Saint-Michel River and Ouareau River, the main tributary of the L'Assomption River.
In addition to lakes and rivers, Saint-Donat has numerous coves, bays, passes, ponds, and even rapids on the Ouareau River.
Demographics
editPopulation
editHistorical Census Data - Saint-Donat, Lanaudière, Quebec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source: Statistics Canada[3][8] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 2434 (total dwellings: 4527)[3]
Language
editAll official government actions take place in French, the official language of Quebec. French is the primary language spoken in Saint-Donat, though some people, especially those who deal often with tourists, are able to speak and understand English.
Mother tongue (2021):[3]
- English as first language: 2.8%
- French as first language: 94.4%
- English and French as first languages: 1.1%
- Other as first language: 1.9%
Economy
editA silica mine is located in Saint-Donat.
Attractions
editSaint-Donat is often frequented by tourists in the winter. Its main attraction is snowmobiling, but other winter sports, such as skiing, can be enjoyed there as well, with Ski Garceau and Ski La Reserve being the two most popular resorts in the area. Outdoor skating rinks and cross country ski trails through the forest are frequented by locals and tourists alike. Its mountains, lakes, and pleasant weather attract many tourists in the summer season. Many people who vacation in Saint-Donat during the summer enjoy swimming, kayaking, sailing, and water-skiing on its two large lakes, Lac Archambault and Lac Ouareau. Saint-Donat is the only village in the Laurentiens that has two side-by-side lakes of the size of Archambault and Ouareau.
The year-round population of Saint-Donat is approximately 3,700, but during the tourist season, the number of people actually in Saint-Donat can reach 20,000. Saint-Donat has been recognized for its beauty and has received national recognition, especially for the quality of its public places. It was first recognized as a prime tourist destination in 1908, by an engineer with the Ministry of Lands and Forests. Hotels and other businesses necessary in a tourist destination began within a few decades, and tourism was the focal point of the local economy by 1970.
Saint-Donat can be accessed by two main highways, the 125 and 329, and is located 1h30min from Montreal by car. There is also a local airport accessible to light aircraft in the village of Saint-Donat.
Government
editThe current mayor of Saint-Donat is Joé Deslauriers. The mayor and a six-member city council are the elected officials of the municipality.
Saint-Donat forms part of the federal electoral district of Joliette and has been represented by Gabriel Ste-Marie of the Bloc Québécois since 2015.
| Year | Liberal | Conservative | Bloc Québécois | New Democratic | Green | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29% | 756 | 10% | 261 | 53% | 1,382 | 4% | 95 | 1% | 39 | |
| 2019 | 26% | 635 | 9% | 224 | 55% | 1,368 | 4% | 91 | 4% | 106 | |
| 2015 | 31% | 468 | 8% | 118 | 34% | 508 | 25% | 381 | 2% | 25 | |
| 2011 | 6% | 95 | 11% | 165 | 33% | 491 | 47% | 689 | 3% | 39 | |
| 2008 | 16% | 252 | 18% | 283 | 52% | 824 | 10% | 164 | 3% | 47 | |
| 2006 | 9% | 133 | 29% | 417 | 53% | 758 | 5% | 66 | 4% | 51 | |
| 2004 | 25% | 376 | 7% | 108 | 62% | 923 | 3% | 52 | 2% | 24 | |
Provincially, Saint-Donat is part of the Bertrand electoral district and is represented by France-Élaine Duranceau of the Coalition Avenir Québec since 2022.
| Year | CAQ | Liberal | QC solidaire | Parti Québécois | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 52% | 674 | 5% | 63 | 10% | 136 | 22% | 293 | |
| 2018 | 49% | 1,247 | 14% | 353 | 12% | 312 | 21% | 538 | |
| 2014 | 26% | 606 | 24% | 561 | 5% | 107 | 44% | 1,033 | |
| 2012 | 27% | 469 | 16% | 274 | 3% | 55 | 52% | 898 | |
Education
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (September 2017) |
Sainte Agathe Academy (of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board) in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts serves English-speaking students in this community for both elementary and secondary levels.[11]
Sister cities
editSaint-Donat is twinned with:
Lans-en-Vercors, France, since 1990
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 "Saint-Donat (Municipalité)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
- 1 2 "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 62060". www.quebec.ca (in French). Gouvernement du Québec. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Saint-Donat, Lanaudière (Code 2462060) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- 1 2 "Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, Quebec [Population centre] Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
- ↑ "Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm (village)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
- ↑ Tam, Christine (11 November 2013). "Worst plane crash in RCAF history frozen in time". Global News. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Montagne Noire". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- ↑ 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 census
- ↑ "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Saint-Donat)". Elections Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Saint-Donat)". Elections Québec. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ↑ "About Us." Saint Agathe Academy. Retrieved on September 4, 2017. See Elementary zone map Archived 2017-09-04 at the Wayback Machine and Secondary zone map Archived 2017-09-04 at the Wayback Machine - Note that all areas covered in the elementary map are also covered in the secondary one.
External links
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