Chelsea, Quebec, is a unique municipality located just north of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, and about 10 kilometres north of Ottawa. Nestled within Canada's National Capital Region, Chelsea is the seat of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality. With a population of 8000 as per the 2021 Canadian Census, Chelsea is a vibrant community where both English and French are spoken in roughly 70% of households.
Chelsea, Quebec, is a roughly triangle-shaped municipality that includes much of the southern and eastern parts of Gatineau Park. It is bordered on the east by the Gatineau River. The southern border is 5 kilometres south of Old Chelsea, the municipality's historical centre, and runs north to the community of Farm Point. Beyond Farm Point lies the municipality of La Pêche and the village of Wakefield. North of Old Chelsea is Camp Fortune, a popular alpine ski club just 15 minutes from Downtown Ottawa.
Chelsea, Quebec, is home to several communities, including Kingsmere, Old Chelsea, Larrimac, Farm Point, and Hollow Glen.
Chelsea, Quebec, is named after the Vermont town of its first settler, Thomas Brigham, who arrived there in 1819. The name has been in use since the early 19th century. In 1875, the municipality was established as Hull-Partie-Ouest, commonly referred to as West Hull. The municipality was renamed to its current name in 1990.
During World War II, the Royal Canadian Navy, in cooperation with the National Research Council, established a "field intensity station" at Chelsea in 1941 to monitor the height of the ionosphere. This ionospheric observatory operated during the post-war period but was transferred to the Defence Research Board's new Radio Propagation Laboratory in Ottawa in 1947. Today, there are no traces of the single shack or the many masts that were once erected on the property.
In Chelsea, Quebec, English is the first language for 43.1% of the population, while French is the first language for 46.3%. Both English and French are the first languages for 3.9% of the population, and other languages are the first language for 5.6%.
Autoroute 5, also known as the Autoroute de la Gatineau, is a major freeway that connects Chelsea and La Pêche with Gatineau and Ottawa. Public transportation is provided to the region by Transcollines, with bus routes 921, 922, 923, 924, and 925 connecting the regional county municipality with Gatineau as of 2022. During summer weekends, the Societé de Transport de l'Outaouais provides free shuttle buses through Gatineau Park that terminate at the Gatineau Park Visitors Centre in Old Chelsea.
Chelsea, Quebec, is not just about history and nature. It's also a hub for arts and sports. The municipality is home to the Meredith Centre, a sports complex developed in 2012 next to Chelsea Elementary School. The complex hosts a hockey rink, community rooms, and soccer fields. Chelsea is also home to a number of regionally and nationally well-known musicians, filmmakers, and artists, including Ian Tamblyn. Part of the film Grey Owl was shot on the Gatineau River.
Chelsea, Quebec, is a community that values environmental responsibility. It was one of the first in Canada to ban the use of pesticides. While 60% of the area consists of Gatineau Park, much of the rest of Chelsea is residential, making it a perfect blend of nature and urban living. The current mayor of Chelsea, QC is Pierre Guénard.
