Saint-Donat, Laurentides, Quebec

Saint-Donat
Saint-Donat
Coordinates: 46°19′N 74°13′W
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Lanaudière
Regional County	Matawinie
Settled	circa 1876
Incorporated	February 19, 1904
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Richard Bénard
• Federal riding	Joliette
• Prov. riding	Bertrand
Area
• Total	361.42 km2 (139.5 sq mi)
• Land	353.53 km2 (136.5 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	4,297
• Density	12.2/km2 (31.6/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
Postal Code	J0T 2C0
Area code(s)	819
Website	www.saint-donat.ca

Main street in Saint-Donat

Saint-Donat 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. The main town within the township is also identified as Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm to distinguish it from a parish municipality with the same name in La Mitis RCM. 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 nearest natural landmark is the Mont-Tremblant National Park.

History

Saint-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 the time, the small village received urban population attracted by its beautiful landscape and the town was officially established in 1904. By 1950, Saint-Donat had reached a population of 2,000. As of 2006, the town was nearing 4,300 permanent residents.

Government

The current mayor of Saint-Donat is Richard Bénard. The mayor and a six-member city council are the elected officials of the municipality.

Tourism

Saint-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. 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 or boating on its two large lakes, Lake Archambault and Lake Ouareau. Saint-Donat is the only village in the Laurentiens that has two side-by-side lakes of the size of Archambault and Ouareau. Saint-Donat also contains two other lakes that are smaller than Archambault and Ouareau, Lac Sylvère and Lac Croche.

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.

Demographics

Population:

• Population in 2006: 4297 (2001 to 2006 population change: 24.8 %)
• Population in 2001: 3444
• Population in 1996: 3262 (or 3259 when adjusted for 2001 boundaries)
• Population in 1991: 2946

Private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 2020 (total: 4160)

All 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:

• English as first language: 1.5 %
• French as first language: 96.6 %
• English and French as first language: 0.6 %
• Other as first language: 1.3 %