Macamic (French pronunciation: [makamik]) is a ville in northwestern Quebec, Canada, in the Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality. It covers 202 km² and had a population of 2,744 in the 2021 Canadian census. It is located on the shores of the namesake Lake Macamic.

Macamic
Motto(s): 
Vois juste, probité engendre honneur ("Do right, integrity begets honour")
Location within Abitibi-Ouest RCM
Location within Abitibi-Ouest RCM
Macamic is located in Western Quebec
Macamic
Macamic
Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 48°45′N 79°00′W / 48.750°N 79.000°W / 48.750; -79.000[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionAbitibi-Témiscamingue
RCMAbitibi-Ouest
Settled1913
ConstitutedMarch 6, 2002
Government
 • MayorTony Boudreau
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Témiscamingue
 • Prov. ridingAbitibi-Ouest
Area
 • Total
240.62 km2 (92.90 sq mi)
 • Land202.05 km2 (78.01 sq mi)
 • Urban2.00 km2 (0.77 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total
2,744
 • Density13.5/km2 (35/sq mi)
 • Urban1,352
 • Urban density676.0/km2 (1,751/sq mi)
 • Pop (2016-2021)
Decrease 0.3%
 • Dwellings
1,188
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code819
Highways R-101
R-111
R-393
Websitewww.villemacamic.qc.ca Edit this at Wikidata
Rue Principale

In addition to Macamic itself, the town's territory also includes the community of Colombourg.

History

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Colonization began at the time when the National Transcontinental Railway running through the Abitibi region was completed. The first pioneers, arriving circa 1913, were originally from Saint-Ignace-du-Lac, Pierreville, Stanfold, Nicolet, and Shawinigan. They settled south of Lake Macamic and the new settlement took the lake's name, often written also as Makamik. In the Algonquin language, the name Makamik means "limping beaver", from makis (crippled or disabled) and amik (beaver).[1]

In 1914, Makamik had 100 residents. In 1915, the year the post office opened, it had grown to 300, and the following year, when the Parish of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste-de-Macamic was formed, there were 500 persons. By 1918, the population had jumped to 1750 and the area was incorporated as the United Township Municipality of Royal-Roussillon-et-Poularies, named after the Royal-Roussillon Regiment of Montcalm's army and after lieutenant-colonel François-Médard de Poularies, commander of this regiment.[1][5]

In 1919, the village itself separated from the united township and was incorporated as Village Municipality of Macamic, having a population of 2300 persons by 1920. In 1924, Poularies Township also separated from Royal-Roussillon-et-Poularies, which became the Parish Municipality of Royal-Roussillon-de-Macamic in 1952, and officially shortened to just Macamic in 1961.[1]

In 1955, the Village Municipality of Macamic changed its status to town (ville), and was regrouped with the Parish Municipality of Macamic on June 13, 2001, to form the new Town of Macamic. On March 2, 2002, the Municipality of Colombourg (incorporated in 1926) was merged into Macamic.[1]

Demographics

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In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Macamic had a population of 2,744 living in 1,142 of its 1,188 total private dwellings, a change of -0.3% from its 2016 population of 2,751. With a land area of 202.05 km2 (78.01 sq mi), it had a population density of 13.6/km2 (35.2/sq mi) in 2021.[3]


Canada census – Macamic community profile
202120162011
Population2,744 (-0.3% from 2016)2,751 (+0.6% from 2011)2,734 (+0.3% from 2006)
Land area202.05 km2 (78.01 sq mi)202.70 km2 (78.26 sq mi)202.34 km2 (78.12 sq mi)
Population density13.6/km2 (35/sq mi)13.6/km2 (35/sq mi)13.5/km2 (35/sq mi)
Median age43.6 (M: 43.6, F: 43.6)45.8 (M: 44.6, F: 46.8)46.5 (M: 46.6, F: 46.3)
Private dwellings1,188 (total)  1,142 (occupied)1,179 (total)  1,148 (total) 
Median household income$73,500$62,763$60,961
References: 2021[6] 2016[7] 2011[8] earlier[9][10]
Historical census populations – Macamic
YearPop.±%
1921 1,104—    
1931 821−25.6%
1941 645−21.4%
1951 1,123+74.1%
1956 1,388+23.6%
1961 1,614+16.3%
YearPop.±%
1966 1,770+9.7%
1971 1,705−3.7%
1976 1,733+1.6%
1981 1,791+3.3%
1986 1,821+1.7%
1991 1,833+0.7%
YearPop.±%
1996 1,711−6.7%
2001 1,519−11.2%
2006 2,726+79.5%
2011 2,734+0.3%
2016 2,751+0.6%
2021 2,744−0.3%
Between 2001 and 2006, the parish of Macamic and the municipality of Colombourg merged with the city of Macamic.
Source: [11]

Language

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Canada Census Mother Tongue - Macamic, Quebec[11]
Census Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2021
2,680
2,650   1.5% 98.9% 15   0.0% 0.6% 5   50.0% 0.2% 10   100.0% 0.4%
2016
2,645
2,610   1.4% 98.7% 15   50.0% 0.6% 10   100.0% 0.4% 5   50.0% 0.2%
2011
2,600
2,575   1.6% 99.0% 10   n/a% 0.4% 5   50.0% 0.2% 10   n/a% 0.4%
2006
2,550
2,535   5.5% 99.4% 0   0.0% 0.0% 10   n/a% 0.4% 0   0.0% 0.0%
2001
1,375
1,380   7.7% 100.0% 0   0.0% 0.0% 0   0.0% 0.0% 0   0.0% 0.0%
1996
1,500
1,495 n/a 99.7% 0 n/a 0.0% 0 n/a 0.0% 0 n/a 0.0%

Government

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Municipal council (as of 2024):[12]

  • Mayor: Tony Boudreau
  • Councillors: Gaétan Morin, Francine Néron, Cindy Boucher, Miriam Bruneau, Ghislain Brunet, Michel Deschênes

List of former mayors (since formation of current municipality):

  • Daniel Rancourt (2002–2013)
  • Claude Nelson Morin (2013–2017)
  • Lina Lafrenière (2017–2023)
  • Tony Boudreau (2024–present)

Political representation

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Macamic federal election results[13]
Year Liberal Conservative Bloc Québécois New Democratic Green
2021 24% 303 16% 202 43% 538 6% 74 2% 27
2019 19% 272 30% 431 38% 556 7% 105 3% 43
2015 28% 223 4% 33 22% 175 44% 349 2% 14
2011 6% 60 10% 102 27% 284 56% 592 1% 12
2008 22% 202 18% 168 47% 432 10% 92 3% 25
2006 12% 117 28% 279 48% 481 11% 109 2% 24
2004 32% 308 6% 61 56% 533 2% 20 3% 30
Macamic provincial election results[14]
Year CAQ Liberal QC solidaire Parti Québécois
2022 42% 375 4% 33 18% 157 26% 227
2018 43% 668 14% 220 16% 245 22% 344
2014 17% 265 36% 541 7% 104 36% 539
2012 21% 226 24% 262 6% 60 44% 471

Federally, Macamic is part of the federal riding of Abitibi—Témiscamingue. In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the incumbent Sébastien Lemire of the Bloc Québécois was re-elected to represent the population Macamic in the House of Commons of Canada.

Provincially it is part of the riding of Abitibi-Ouest. In the 2022 Quebec general election the incumbent MNA Suzanne Blais, of the Coalition Avenir Québec, was re-elected to represent the population of Macamic in the National Assembly of Quebec.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Macamic (Ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  2. ^ a b "Macamic". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  3. ^ a b c "Macamic (Code 2487058) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
  4. ^ a b "Macamic Quebec [Population centre] Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Les carillons" (in French). Ville de Macamic. Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  6. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  7. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  8. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  9. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
  12. ^ "Ville de Macamic".
  13. ^ "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Macamic)". Elections Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Macamic)". Elections Québec. 3 December 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
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