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Pointe-Claire

Coordinates: 45°27′N 73°49′W / 45.450°N 73.817°W / 45.450; -73.817
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Pointe-Claire
City
Pointe-Claire Windmill
Pointe-Claire Windmill
Location of Pointe-Claire on Montreal Island
Location of Pointe-Claire on Montreal Island
Pointe-Claire is located in Southern Quebec
Pointe-Claire
Pointe-Claire
Location in southern Quebec
Coordinates: 45°27′N 73°49′W / 45.450°N 73.817°W / 45.450; -73.817
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionMontréal
RCMNone
Settled1698
VillageSeptember 2, 1854
VilleMarch 3, 1911
MergedJanuary 1, 2002
ReconstitutedJanuary 1, 2006
Named forPoint of land with a clear view over Lake Saint-Louis
Government
[1][2]
 • MayorTim Thomas
 • Federal ridingLac-Saint-Louis
 • Prov. ridingJacques-Cartier
Area
[1][3]
 • Total
34.66 km2 (13.38 sq mi)
 • Land18.91 km2 (7.30 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total
33,488
 • Density1,770.9/km2 (4,587/sq mi)
 • Pop 2016-2021
Increase 6.7%
 • Dwellings
13,823
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
H9R, H9S
Area code(s)514 and 438
Highways
A-20
A-40 (TCH)
Websitewww.pointe-claire.ca Edit this at Wikidata

Pointe-Claire (French pronunciation: [pwɛ̃t klɛʁ], Canadian French: [pwãẽ̯t klaɛ̯ʁ]) is a Quebec local municipality within the Urban agglomeration of Montreal on the Island of Montreal in Canada. It is entirely developed, and land use includes residential, light manufacturing, and retail. As of the 2021 census the population was 33,488.

Toponymy

[edit]

The toponym refers to the peninsula, or point, where the windmill, convent, and the Saint-Joachim de Pointe-Claire Church are sited. The point extends into Lac Saint-Louis and has a clear view of its surroundings.[4]

History

[edit]
1700s map of Montreal Island.
On a map of the Island of Montreal dated 1700, the words "Pointe Claire" are visible.

Pointe-Claire was first described by Nicolas Perrot in his account of 1669, and the name Pointe-Claire appeared on a map as early as 1686.[4] Although Samuel de Champlain canoed through the area in 1613, he reported no village or dwelling visible.[5]

The urbanization of the territory of Pointe-Claire began in the 1600s, when the Sulpicians were lords of the island of Montreal. Land on the island of Montreal was granted to the Sulpicians for development as early as 1663. They began to grant concessions along major waterways.[6]

In 1678, the first concession on the land under the seigneurial system was to Jean Guenet who named his property Beau Repaire. This was near the future village of Beaurepaire, located in what is now Beaconsfield.[7] on June 4, 1910, the village of Beaconsfield separates from the parish of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire[8]

The first concession of land that is still in the current city limits of Pointe-Claire, was in 1684 to Pierre Cabassier, for a lot just east of Pointe Charlebois.[9][10] Under the seigneurial system, the Sulpicians had to build a mill for the colonists, who in turn had to grind their grain there at a set fee. The arrival of French settlers in Pointe-Claire began in 1698-1699.[11]

In 1707, after the Great Peace of Montreal was signed in 1701, the Chemin du Roy (now Lakeshore Road) from Dorval to the western tip of Montreal Island was opened having been ordered by intendant Jacques Raudot,[5] and the parish was subdivided in three côtes: St. Rémy (present-day Boulevard Des Sources), St. Jean, and St. Charles. Between côtes St. Rémy and St. Charles lay 33 lots (numbered 145 to 177). These were generally three arpents wide by 20 or 30 deep. Up to this time Pointe-Claire had only been accessible by boat.

Church and presbytery of Saint-Joachim de Pointe-Claire

On October 13, 1713,[12] the seminary formed a parish on the land that now includes Pointe-Claire and much of the West Island, and in 1714 a church was built at the point, at the site of the present-day church.[13] Up to that time the area was served by an itinerant missionary priest. Initially the church was called Saint-Francois-de-Sales, but it was renamed six months later to Saint-Joachim de la Pointe Claire. The church and presbytery, both built of stone, formed a fort about two arpents (7,000 m2, 75,000 sq ft) in area, surrounded by stakes. The construction was ordered by Governor Beauharnois out of fear of the Iroquois. The point was used as a stopover by voyageurs en route to the interior.[5]

In 1728–1729, the first lots were granted, near the fort, to a blacksmith and to a carpenter. By 1765 there were 783 residents, 74 lots owned by 35 individuals, and 19 houses, some built of stone, but most of wood.[5]

On July 1, 1845, the Village Municipality of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire was created, before losing its municipal status on September 1, 1847, as was common in Quebec for many local entities. On September 2, 1854, it was reestablished.[4][12]

The Grand Trunk Railway built the railroad through the area in 1855, linking Pointe-Claire to Montreal. This brought people, and with them property development in an area that up to then had been largely agricultural. It also improved the welfare of farmers by providing a ready market for their goods. Suburban development began in 1893 when Otto Frederick Lilly acquired land spanning Boulevard Saint-Jean. He used his influence with the Canadian Pacific Railway to have a station added to the line at the end of Cedar Avenue, which he also paved from there down to Lakeshore Road. Both sides of Cedar Avenue were built up by 1920.[13]

After the British North America Act of 1867, Pointe-Claire was included in the new federal riding of Jacques Cartier. In the election of 7 August, the men (suffrage did not extend to women until 1940) of Pointe-Claire elected the Conservative Guillaume Gamelin Gaucher.[14]

In 1900, a major fire destroyed much of the village. The fire was discovered in an uninhabited building around 2:00 a.m., 22 May 1900. The wind caused the fire to spread to surrounding houses. The only water supply was from village wells or carried in buckets from the river. A small two-wheeled hose reel and hand pump was the only village fire protection. Locals failed to put out the fire and asked for help from Montreal. Equipment was sent by train but did not arrive in time to help. The worst of the damage was on the rue de l'église. In all about 30 buildings were destroyed, including the post office, the town hall, and the residences of about 200 people.[15][16][17]

On March 14, 1911, the Village Municipality of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire changed status and name to Ville (city/town) de Pointe-Claire.[4][18]

Provincial highway number 2 (now Autoroute 20) was built alongside the railway in 1940, following expropriation of property. This led to a move of much of the town from the south to the north of the highway, namely the town hall, recreation centre, police station, and fire station.[13]

In 1955, the City of Pointe-Claire annexed large portions of the Parish Municipality of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire (which was formed on September 1, 1855). Remaining portions of the municipal parish became the Town of Kirkland on March 24, 1961.[19] In 1958, a new City Hall was built and Pointe-Claire changed status from Ville to Cité ("city"), but in 1967, this was reverted.[18]

From 2002 to 2006 there were municipal reorganizations across the province, which included a reorganization of Montreal; Pointe-Claire was merged into Montreal and became a borough. However, after political changes (2003 Quebec general election and the 2004 Quebec municipal referendums) it was re-constituted as an independent city in 2006, along with a number of other boroughs.[18]

Geography

[edit]
View from Pointe Claire over Lake Saint-Louis

The shoreline of Pointe-Claire along Lake Saint-Louis is at about 30 metres (98 ft) above sea level and rises along a fault by about 30 metres (98 ft) not far from shore, more steeply in the west. The eastern side has a soil rich in clay, while the western side is stonier with limestone strata.[20] Pointe-Claire is bounded on the north by Dollard-des-Ormeaux, on the east by Dorval, on the south by Lac Saint-Louis, and on the west by Kirkland and Beaconsfield.

Pointe-Claire is entirely urbanised and developed. There are 38 public parks and green spaces with 5 baseball/softball diamonds, 26 playgrounds, 19 soccer pitches, 7 outdoor swimming pools, 24 tennis courts, 10 outdoor skating rinks, and five shoreline areas.[21]

Large green spaces include:

  • The public Terra-Cotta Natural Park which is a natural green space of 39 hectares (96 acres), with six kilometers (4 miles) of paths. From 1912 to 1962, a clay deposit on the site was exploited by the Montréal Terra Cotta and Lumber Co. The clay, mixed with sawdust, was baked on site to produce hollow tiles used in construction.[22]
  • The Last Post Fund National Field of Honour, a National Historic Site of Canada, which is open to the public.
  • The private Beaconsfield Golf Course, on the site of a disused quarry which supplied limestone for the construction of the Victoria Bridge[4] in 1860.

Demographics

[edit]
Historical populations
YearPop.±%
1871461—    
1881443−3.9%
1891514+16.0%
1901555+8.0%
1911793+42.9%
19212,617+230.0%
19314,058+55.1%
19414,536+11.8%
19518,753+93.0%
195615,208+73.7%
196122,709+49.3%
196626,784+17.9%
197127,303+1.9%
197625,917−5.1%
198124,571−5.2%
198626,026+5.9%
199127,647+6.2%
199628,435+2.9%
200129,286+3.0%
200630,161+3.0%
201130,790+2.1%
201631,380+1.9%
202133,488+6.7%
Source: Statistics Canada

According to the Office québécois de la langue française, Pointe-Claire has been officially recognized as a bilingual municipality[23][24] since 2 Nov 2005.[25]

In the 2021 census conducted by Statistics Canada, Pointe-Claire had a population of 33,488 living in 13,313 of its 13,823 total private dwellings, a change of 6.7% from its 2016 population of 31,380. With a land area of 18.91 km2 (7.30 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,770.9/km2 (4,586.6/sq mi) in 2021.[26]

Canada census – Pointe-Claire community profile
20212016
Population33,488 (+6.7% from 2016)31,380 (+1.9% from 2011)
Land area18.91 km2 (7.30 sq mi)18.90 km2 (7.30 sq mi)
Population density1,770.9/km2 (4,587/sq mi)1,660.0/km2 (4,299/sq mi)
Median age49.2 (M: 46.0, F: 51.6)47.6 (M: 45.1, F: 49.6)
Private dwellings13,823 (total)  12,835 (total) 
Median household income$80,242
References: 2021[27] 2016[28] earlier[29][30]
Home Language (2021)[31]
Language Population Percentage (%)
English 20,705 63%
French 5,485 17%
Other 4,660 14%
Mother Tongue (2021)[31]
Language Population Percentage (%)
English 15,595 47%
French 6,750 21%
Other 8,565 26%
Visible Minorities (2021)[31]
Ethnicity Population Percentage (%)
Not a visible minority 23,545 75%
Visible minorities 8,015 25%

Economy

[edit]
Fairview Pointe-Claire, a major regional mall in Pointe-Claire

The city has a large business and industrial park spanning both sides of Quebec Autoroute 40. The manufacturing sector is the largest provider of jobs in Pointe-Claire, with 7,005 employees or 23.7 percent of employment. Employment in manufacturing has been declining, while employment has been growing in healthcare and social services. Retail is the second biggest sector with 17.7 percent of the total. Major employers (more than 500 employees) include: Future Electronics, Lakeshore General Hospital, Avon, Hewitt Équipement (CAT dealer), City of Pointe-Claire, Lumen, and Bell TV. Employers of more than 200 employees include: Réno-Dépôt, El Ran Furniture, Tyco Medical, Hudson's Bay Company, and FPInnovations.[32] Companies headquartered in Pointe-Claire include Bouclair, Novacam Technologies, Odan Laboratories, The Canadian Salt Company Limited and Unidisc Music.

Local government

[edit]

As of 2021, the mayor of Pointe-Claire is Tim Thomas. There are eight city councillors.

  • Claude Cousineau (District 1—Cedar-Le Village)
  • Paul Bissonnette (District 2—Lakeside)
  • Kelly Thorstad-Cullen (District 3—Valois)
  • Tara Stainforth (District 4—Cedar Park Heights)
  • Cynthia Homan (District 5—Lakeside Heights)
  • Bruno Tremblay (District 6—Seigniory)
  • Eric Stork (District 7—Northview)
  • Brent Cowan (District 8—Oneida)

Provincially, Pointe-Claire is in the Jacques-Cartier electoral district, along with Baie-D'Urfé, Beaconsfield, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, and Senneville. It is the only provincial electoral district in Quebec with an Anglophone majority. From 1973 to 1981 it was in the now-defunct Pointe-Claire electoral district.

As part of the Urban Agglomeration of Montreal, 51% of locally collected taxes are transferred to the agglomeration as of 2019.[33] Pointe-Claire in turn sends a representative to the 29-member agglomeration council.[34]

Former mayors

[edit]

List of former mayors:[18]

  • Edmond Robillard (1855–1864)
  • Pierre Charles Valois (1864–1866, 1869–1878)
  • William McKinnon (1867–1868)
  • Pierre Alphonse Valois (1879–1881)
  • Philias Roy (1881)
  • Godfroid Madore (1881–1884, 1886–1896)
  • Calixte Brault (1884–1886)
  • Gabriël Valois (1897–1899)
  • Thimoléon Legault (1899–1900, 1902–1907)
  • Emilien Mayers (1901–1902)
  • Stéphanus Brisebois (1908)
  • Aldéric Lesage (1908–1913)
  • Robert Meredith (1913–1915)
  • Joseph Martin (1915–1917)
  • William Henry Black (1917–1919)
  • Ambroise Cartier (1919–1921)
  • James Nebbs (1921–1923)
  • Joseph Léon Vital Mallette (1923–1925, 1927–1929)
  • Sydmer Wallace Ewing (1925–1927)
  • Eric Grantley Donegani (1929–1931)
  • Ernest de Bellefeuille (1931–1933)
  • Henry Edward Woolmer (1933–1935)
  • William Larocque (1935–1937)
  • Joseph Kenworthy (1937–1939)
  • Wilbrod Alphonse Bastien (1939–1941, 1948–1950)
  • William John Moore Kenna (1941–1944)
  • Donat Demers (1944–1946)
  • John Clifford Mann (1946–1948)
  • Charles Barnes (1950–1952)
  • Ernest Bélair (1952–1954)
  • Olive Louise Urquhart (1954–1956, 1958–1961)
  • J. Maurice Arpin (1956–1958)
  • Arthur Ewen Séguin (1961–1974)
  • David W. Beck (1974–1982)
  • Malcolm Campbell Knox (1982–1998)
  • William Franklin MacMurchie (1998–2002, 2006–2013)
  • Morris Trudeau (2013–2017)
  • John Belvedere (2017–2021)
  • Tim Thomas (2021–present)

Infrastructure

[edit]

Municipal sports and leisure facilities include the Aquatic Centre, Bob Birnie Arena, Pointe-Claire Public Library, Stewart Hall Cultural Centre, the Sailing Base at Grande-Anse Park, near the Pointe-Claire Canoe Club. Private facilities also exist, such as the Pointe-Claire Yacht Club.

The Pointe-Claire Water Treatment Plant distributes an average of 65,000,000 litres (14,300,000 imp gal; 17,200,000 US gal) of potable water per day to a population of 87,248 people and approximately 1000 business and commercial users spread out in the city of Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Baie-D'Urfé, Kirkland, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Senneville.[35]

Transportation

[edit]

Both Autoroute 20 and Autoroute 40 cross Pointe-Claire from east to west, both with intersections at Boulevard Saint-Jean and Boulevard Des Sources, the major north-south roads in the city. Parallel along Autoroute 20 are the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway lines.

Pointe-Claire is served by three stations on Exo's Vaudreuil–Hudson line: Pointe-Claire station located at Donegani Avenue and Ashgrove Avenue, Valois station located at Avenue De-la-Baie-de-Valois (Valois Bay) and Donegani Avenue, and Cedar Park station also located on Donegani Avenue between Applebee Avenue and Aurora Avenue.[36] The city is also served by several bus routes operated by Société de transport de Montréal with a major terminal located at Fairview Pointe-Claire.

Starting 2024, Pointe-Claire will be served by two stations on the Réseau express métropolitain rapid transit network: Fairview–Pointe-Claire station on Fairview Avenue, and Des Sources station on Des Sources Boulevard.

Local bus transportation is provided by Société de transport de Montréal.

Public safety and animal services

[edit]

Municipal bylaw enforcement and animal control are provided by the city's Public Security force.[37]

The city of Pointe-Claire uses the services of Contrôle animalier Vaudreuil-Soulange for injured animals or domestic pets that have been found.

Police services are provided by the Montreal Police Service. Fire and rescue services are provided by the Montreal Fire Department. Emergency Medical Services are provided by Urgences Sante. Emergency management, such as response to storms and flooding, as well as emergency medical care at public events is provided by the Pointe Claire Volunteer Rescue Unit.[38]

Education

[edit]

The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) operates Anglophone public school. They run two elementary schools: Clearpoint (formerly Cedar Park) and St. John Fisher, and two high schools: John Rennie, and St. Thomas.[39][40] In addition St. Edmund Elementary School and Beacon Hill Elementary School in Beaconsfield as well as Wilder-Penfield Elementary in Dollard-des-Ormeaux serve sections of the city.[41]

Lindsay Place High School is a former public high school that was part of the Lester B. Pearson School Board. It opened in 1962 and closed in 2021.[42] St. Thomas High School has relocated into the building previously occupied by Lindsday Place.

The Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys operates Francophone public schools, but were previously operated by the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys until June 15, 2020. The change was a result of a law passed by the Quebec government that changed the school board system from denominational to linguistic. They run three primary schools: Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Pointe-Claire (formerly Lakeside Heights Elementary), and Saint-Louis, and one high school, the École secondaire Felix-Leclerc (formerly École secondaire Saint-Thomas).

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Répertoire des municipalités: Pointe-Claire". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. ^ Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: LAC-SAINT-LOUIS (Quebec) Archived 2012-12-08 at archive.today
    Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: NOTRE-DAME-DE-GRÂCE--LACHINE (Quebec) Archived 2012-10-06 at Archive-It
  3. ^ a b "Pointe-Claire, Ville (V) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e toponymie. "Pointe-Claire: Origine et signification". Commission de toponymie of Québec. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d A la pointe claire. Conseil du patrimoine de Montreal. 2005. pp. 3–47. ISBN 2-9808545-4-9.
  6. ^ "Planning Program 2022" (PDF). City of Pointe-Claire. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Significant Dates". Société Historique Beaurepaire-Beaconsfield. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  8. ^ Ville de Beaconsfield. "History of Beaconsfield". www.beaconsfield.ca. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  9. ^ Matthews, Brian (1985). A History of Pointe-Claire. p. 18.
  10. ^ Harold Bérubé (3 July 2008). "Des Banlieues Qui Se Distinguent : Gouverner Westmount, Pointe-Claire et Mont-Royal (1880-1939)" (PDF). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  11. ^ "History". Ville de Pointe-Claire. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  12. ^ a b BAnQ. "Parishes, Missions and municipalities of the province of Quebec". BAnQ Grande Bibliothèque of Québec. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Matthews, Brian (1985). A History of Pointe-Claire.
  14. ^ "Jacques Cartier, Quebec (1867–1952)". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  15. ^ Ville de Pointe-Claire. "History of Pointe-Claire". www.pointe-claire.ca. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  16. ^ Milne, George E.R. (1965). Recollections of Early Pointe Claire: Fire in Pointe Claire: May 22, 1900. Pointe Claire, Quebec: West Island School Commission. p. 24. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Conflagration à la Pointe-Claire" (in French). 29 March 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  18. ^ a b c d "Répertoire des entités géopolitiques: Pointe-Claire (ville) 2.9.1854 - 1.1.2002 ● 1.1.2006 - ..." www.mairesduquebec.com. Institut généalogique Drouin. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Souvenir Album - Kirkland 1961-1986" (PDF). ville.kirkland.qc.ca. Town of Kirkland. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  20. ^ Matthews, Brian (1985). A History of Pointe-Claire. p. 17.
  21. ^ "PARKS, SPORTS FIELDS AND BUILDINGS" (PDF). Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  22. ^ "Terra-Cotta Natural Park". Pointe-Claire. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  23. ^ Laxer, Dan (21 September 2022). "Pointe-Claire fights for bilingual status". The Suburban. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  24. ^ Meagher, John (15 September 2022). "Pointe-Claire tables bilingual status resolution". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Organismes reconnus offrant des services dans une langue autre que le français". www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  27. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  28. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  29. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 20 August 2019.
  30. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 18 July 2021.
  31. ^ a b c "Pointe-Claire (Code 2466097) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
  32. ^ "Profil économique: juillet 2010". l’Agglomération de Montréal. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  33. ^ "Budget and Municipal Taxes" (PDF). Town of Pointe-Claire. 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  34. ^ Montréal, Ville de. "Agglomeration council". montreal.ca. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  35. ^ Pointe-Claire Water Treatment Plant
  36. ^ RTM Dorion-Rigaud Line Archived 2009-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
  37. ^ "Public Security". City of Pointe Claire. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  38. ^ "Pointe Claire Volunteer Rescue Unit". City of Pointe Claire. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  39. ^ The Suburban News | LBPSB to open new high school in Pointe Claire
  40. ^ newscoverage.org • Editor • Robert Frank • Rédacteur • reportages.ca: Horizon High School celebrates its first graduates
  41. ^ "School Board Map Archived 21 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine." Lester B. Pearson School Board. Retrieved on September 28, 2017.
  42. ^ Meagher, John (24 June 2021). "Lindsay Place High School in Pointe-Claire closes after 59 years". montrealgazette. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
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