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Rivière-au-Tonnerre, Quebec

Coordinates: 50°16′N 64°47′W / 50.267°N 64.783°W / 50.267; -64.783
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Rivière-au-Tonnerre
Municipality
Thunder river, Gulf of St. Lawrence
Thunder river, Gulf of St. Lawrence
Rivière-au-Tonnerre is located in Côte-Nord region, Quebec
Rivière-au-Tonnerre
Rivière-au-Tonnerre
Location in Côte-Nord region of Quebec
Coordinates: 50°16′N 64°47′W / 50.267°N 64.783°W / 50.267; -64.783[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionCôte-Nord
RCMMinganie
Settled1853
ConstitutedDecember 14, 1925
Government
[2]
 • MayorJacques Bernier
 • Federal ridingManicouagan
 • Prov. ridingDuplessis
Area
[2][3]
 • Total641.71 km2 (247.77 sq mi)
 • Land605.14 km2 (233.65 sq mi)
Elevation
[4]
15.20 m (49.87 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total281
 • Density0.5/km2 (1/sq mi)
 • Pop (2016-21)
Increase 0.7%
 • Dwellings
326
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
G0G 2L0
Area code(s)418 and 581
Highways R-138
Websitewww.riviere-au-tonnerre.ca Edit this at Wikidata

Rivière-au-Tonnerre (French pronunciation: [ʁivjɛʁ o tɔnɛʁ]), municipality located on the North shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in Côte-Nord region, Minganie Regional County Municipality, in the province of Quebec, Canada.

Rivière-au-Tonnerre is member of Villages-Relais Quebec[5]

Toponymy

[edit]

The eponymous Tonnerre River (Minganie) (French: Riviere au Tonnerre), which flows through the municipality, has a series of waterfalls at 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) upstream, from its mouth in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These falls with a total drop of about 50 metres (160 ft) have a roar that reminds one of the noise caused by thunder. In the past, the place was nicknamed Boom Boom River.[1]

History

[edit]
Cod processing in Riviere-au-Tonnerre, 1920s

The first permanent settlers arrived circa 1853 or 1854, and founded Sheldrake and Riviere-au-Tonnerre as fishing settlements. In 1875, more pioneers followed, originating notably from Paspébiac in the Gaspésie region. At the same time, the first chapel was built and the Parish of Saint-Hippolyte was formed. However it was commonly called Rivière-au-Tonnerre, like the settlement. In 1890, the post office opened under the English equivalent name of "Thunder River" (Frenchized in 1933). By 1908, there were 70 families engaged in agriculture. In 1925, the Municipality of Riviere-au-Tonnerre was formed.[1]

In 1948, electricity was installed in the town, and in 1976, its isolation ended when Route 138 was officially opened between Sept-Îles and Sheldrake.[6]

In 1988, its factory closed, leading to an exodus of its inhabitants.[6]

Geography

[edit]

In addition to Riviere-au-Tonnerre itself, the communities within the municipality include the hamlets of Rivière-Pigou,[7] Rivière-aux-Graines,[8] and Sheldrake,[9] all located along the Gulf of St. Lawrence and accessible via Quebec Route 138 (The Whale Route).[1]

Climate

[edit]

Rivière-au-Tonnerre has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with mild summers, rainy autumns and long, cold and snowy winters with annual snowfall averaging 99 inches (251 cm). Winter typically starts in late October or early November and lasts through most of, if not all of April.

Climate data for Rivière-au-Tonnerre
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.9
(48.0) 		7
(45) 		10.6
(51.1) 		18
(64) 		27
(81) 		27
(81) 		29
(84) 		29
(84) 		27.5
(81.5) 		19.4
(66.9) 		14
(57) 		9
(48) 		29
(84)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −8.6
(16.5) 		−6.5
(20.3) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		4.2
(39.6) 		10.6
(51.1) 		16.1
(61.0) 		19.1
(66.4) 		18.5
(65.3) 		13.9
(57.0) 		8
(46) 		1.8
(35.2) 		−5.1
(22.8) 		5.9
(42.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −14.2
(6.4) 		−12
(10) 		−6.3
(20.7) 		0.2
(32.4) 		5.8
(42.4) 		11.1
(52.0) 		14.4
(57.9) 		13.7
(56.7) 		9.4
(48.9) 		3.9
(39.0) 		−2.2
(28.0) 		−10.2
(13.6) 		1.1
(34.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −19.8
(−3.6) 		−17.5
(0.5) 		−11.4
(11.5) 		−3.8
(25.2) 		1
(34) 		6.2
(43.2) 		9.7
(49.5) 		8.9
(48.0) 		4.8
(40.6) 		−0.3
(31.5) 		−6.3
(20.7) 		−15.4
(4.3) 		−3.7
(25.3)
Record low °C (°F) −40
(−40) 		−33.9
(−29.0) 		−32
(−26) 		−27
(−17) 		−12
(10) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		−1
(30) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		−5.6
(21.9) 		−15
(5) 		−25
(−13) 		−42
(−44) 		−42
(−44)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 68.6
(2.70) 		51.5
(2.03) 		72.2
(2.84) 		86.6
(3.41) 		92.8
(3.65) 		101.3
(3.99) 		99
(3.9) 		97.8
(3.85) 		120.9
(4.76) 		118
(4.6) 		91.4
(3.60) 		80.4
(3.17) 		1,080.3
(42.53)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 11.3
(0.44) 		10.1
(0.40) 		29
(1.1) 		71
(2.8) 		90.4
(3.56) 		101.3
(3.99) 		99
(3.9) 		97.8
(3.85) 		120.9
(4.76) 		116
(4.6) 		67
(2.6) 		15.1
(0.59) 		828.9
(32.63)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 57.3
(22.6) 		41.4
(16.3) 		43.2
(17.0) 		15.5
(6.1) 		2.3
(0.9) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		1.9
(0.7) 		24.4
(9.6) 		65.4
(25.7) 		251.4
(99.0)
Source: Environment Canada[4]

Demographics

[edit]

Population

[edit]
Canada census – Rivière-au-Tonnerre community profile
202120162011
Population281 (+0.7% from 2016)279 (-9.1% from 2011)307 (-21.3% from 2006)
Land area605.14 km2 (233.65 sq mi)619.24 km2 (239.09 sq mi)619.20 km2 (239.07 sq mi)
Population density0.5/km2 (1.3/sq mi)0.5/km2 (1.3/sq mi)0.5/km2 (1.3/sq mi)
Median age60 (M: 60, F: 59.6)57.9 (M: 60.1, F: 55.0)55.2 (M: 56.2, F: 53.5)
Private dwellings326 (total)  157 (occupied)302 (total)  150 (occupied)335 (total) 
Median household income$57,200$48,256$.N/A
Notes: 2011 income data for this area has been suppressed for data quality or confidentiality reasons.
References: 2021[10] 2016[11] 2011[12] earlier[13][14]
Historical Census Data - Rivière-au-Tonnerre, Quebec
YearPop.±%
1921 465—    
1931 509+9.5%
1941 882+73.3%
1951 847−4.0%
1956 895+5.7%
1961 940+5.0%
YearPop.±%
1966 827−12.0%
1971 589−28.8%
1976 587−0.3%
1981 603+2.7%
1986 606+0.5%
1991 526−13.2%
YearPop.±%
1996 476−9.5%
2001 415−12.8%
2006 390−6.0%
2011 307−21.3%
2016 279−9.1%
2021 281+0.7%
Source: Statistics Canada[15][16]

Language

[edit]
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Rivière-au-Tonnerre, Quebec[16]
Census Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2011
305
 305 Decrease 21.8% 100.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00%
2006
390
 390 Decrease 6.0% 100.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00%
2001
415
 415 Decrease 11.7% 100.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00%
1996
470
 470 n/a 100.00% 0 n/a 0.00% 0 n/a 0.00% 0 n/a 0.00%

Local government

[edit]

List of former mayors:[17]

  • Honoré Bezeau (1926–1943)
  • Élie Boudreau (1943–1949)
  • Arthur Beaudin (1949–1957, 1961–1963)
  • Walter Bond (1957–1960)
  • John Anglehart (1960–1961)
  • Delphis Lebrunb (1963–1971)
  • Julien Bourque (1971–1978, 1981–1983)
  • Réjean Boudreau (1978–1981, 1983–1985, 1987–1990)
  • Régis Moreau (1985–1986)
  • Rénald Lapierre (1986–1987, 1990–1995, 2001–2005)
  • Leonilda Duguay (1995–1998)
  • Carmine Leblanc (1998–1999)
  • Renaud Touzel (1999–2001)
  • Jeannot Boudreau (2005–2013)
  • Aline Beaudin (2013–2017)
  • Lorenza Beaudin (2017–2020)
  • Jacques Bernier (2020–present)

Built heritage

[edit]

Saint-Hippolyte church

[edit]
Saint-Hyppolyte Parish Church,[18] at the mouth of the Thunder River

The Saint-Hippolyte Roman Catholic church[19] makes Rivière-au-Tonnerre famous. This Catholic place of worship is of heritage interest for its architectural value: historical, landscape and social.[18]

The religious building was built between 1905 and 1912, according to the plans of Eudist Father Joseph Hesry from Normandy, the architectural style was inspired by his native region, in France.

Two residents of Rivière-au-Tonnerre, John Cody and James Boudreau, supervised the construction, several members of the community participated in the construction and the making of the ornamentation that decorated the interior of the place of worship.

In the 1960s, the cladding of the exterior envelope of the church was changed from wood planks to asbestos shingles. In recent decades, the covering has reverted to the original shiplap wood planks. The exterior of the church has been almost unchanged since then, giving this Catholic place of worship an excellent state of authenticity.[20]

Fishermen's Wharf

[edit]

In 1990, the Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada rebuilt the Fishermen's Wharf by the Grandmont Bridges and Viaducts Company at a cost of $1,509,000 CAD. The mouth of the Thunder River is a natural harbour giving access to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.[21][22]

The main and almost exclusive local economic activity is crab fishing. A factory which processes the crab meat sustains the bulk of the population.[1]

Transportation

[edit]

By the sea

[edit]

When the first permanent settlement arrived by sea, there was no road. In winter, harsh weather conditions, combined with ice, block access to the sea, and the mission, for months. The various obstacles were not insurmountable for the pioneers, a transport system was set up by cométique, i.e. by sled dogs.[6]

Sled dogs

[edit]

Until 1957, in winter, the survival of the inhabitants of Rivière-au-Tonnerre depended on the transport system by dog sled and the use of snowshoes.[6]

For the people of Quebec's North Shore, the dog sled, or cométique, was a vehicle used to transport people, equipment and mail in winter over long distances. Originally, it was equipped with two driftwood or bone runners on which a series of sleepers in a similar material were placed.[23]

Bush aviation

[edit]

In Canada, bush aviation appeared at the end of the First World War (1914-1918). With its many lakes and rivers, Côte-Nord shore offered landing pads for seaplanes in the summer and ski-equipped aircraft in the winter.[24] In the 1930s, it became possible to charter a bush plane and fly almost anywhere. Rivière-au-Tonnerre was serviced by planes belonging to the company Les Ailes du Nord et Pacifique Canadienne.[6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Rivière-au-Tonnerre". Quebec Gouvernement (in French). Commission de Toponymie Quebec. 1968-12-05. Retrieved 25 May 2024. Takes its name from a series of waterfalls about 50 m high located 5 km from its mouth, the sound of their crashes is reminiscent of thunder
  2. ^ a b "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 98055". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  3. ^ a b "Rivière-au-Tonnerre, Quebec (Code 2498055) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  4. ^ a b "Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 Station Data". Environment and natural resources Canada. Government of Canada. 2024-03-27. Retrieved 30 May 2024. Temperature and Precipitation Graph for 1971 to 2000 Canadian Climate Normals
  5. ^ "Villages-relais". Quebec Gouvernement. Transports et de la Mobilité durable. 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024. offer travellers cultural and natural attractions, quality amenities and an environment that suits them, making visitors want to extend their stay.
  6. ^ a b c d e "The village of Rivière-au-Tonnerre" (in French). Municipality of Rivière-au-Tonnerre. 2014–2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024. The gateway to Minganie, the municipality of Rivière-au-Tonnerre includes two villages (Sheldrake and Rivière-au-Tonnerre) with a total population of 279 inhabitants
  7. ^ "Rivière-Pigou (Québec : Hameau)". Canadian Archival Information Network, BAnQ – Sept-Îles. 1953–1961. Retrieved 25 May 2024. The "Pigou Station" which was used by those who operated the telegraph and those who delivered mail on the coast in winter.
  8. ^ Vincent Rioux-Berrouard (1 September 2022). "Rivière-aux-Graines" (in French). Le Nord_Côtier. Located 100 km east of Sept-Îles, the small hamlet of Rivière-aux-Graines seems to have been forgotten by time.
  9. ^ "Sheldrake hamlet". Côte-Nord between nature and excesses. 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024. The name Sheldrake comes from an old British word for the American merganser, also called a sawbill.
  10. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  11. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  12. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  13. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  14. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  15. ^ "1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical)". Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, Part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2). Statistics Canada: 76, 139. July 1973.
  16. ^ a b 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 census
  17. ^ "Répertoire des entités géopolitiques: Rivière-au-Tonnerre (municipalité) 14.12.1925 - ..." www.mairesduquebec.com. Institut généalogique Drouin. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Saint-Hippolyte Church". Quebec Religious Heritage Council. Inventory of Places of Worship in Quebec. September 2003. Retrieved 1 June 2024. Interior plan: Nave with 3 naves, 2 rear galleries, 2 side galleries, exterior chapel on the plan, high windows
  19. ^ "Church Route, North Shore, Duplessis". Tourist destination (in French). The Côte-Nord / Duplessis region is full of magnificent churches that bear witness to the history and culture of the region. 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024. Discover the wonders of Quebec, a dream destination where wild nature, historical heritage and warm hospitality meet.
  20. ^ Quebec government. "Saint-Hippolyte Church". Inventory of the built heritage of the MRC de Minganie (in French). Culture and Communications Quebec. Retrieved 30 May 2024. The red roof of the church is reminiscent of the colour used at the time to distinguish the building from the sea.
  21. ^ a b "Rivière-au-Tonnerre – Reconstruction of the fishermen's wharf" (in French). Grandmont, bridges and viaducts. 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2024. Photos of the site by the work executioner, 1990
  22. ^ Mitchell Campbell (September 1958). "Rivière-au-Tonnerre wharf". BAnQ Sept-îles (in French). Bibliothèque Nationale du Québec. Retrieved 1 June 2024. Campbell, Mitchell, manager of the Moisie Fishing Club, 1936-1980 period.
  23. ^ "The sled skate, historical synthesis". Pointe-à-Callière, cité d'archéologie et d'histoire de Montréal (in French). Archéolab Québec. 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2024. The sled skid is a component of a dog sled that allows the vehicle to glide over the snow
  24. ^ "Bush Flying in Canada". The Canadian encyclopedia. February 2006 – February 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2024. Air services became accessible to trappers and missionaries as well as geologists and surveyors.
  25. ^ Chutes Manitou (in French), Rando Québec, retrieved 2019-09-13
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