Hudson, Quebec, an off-island suburb of Montreal, is a charming municipality with a rich history and a vibrant community. With a population of 5,411 according to the 2021 Census, Hudson is nestled on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality. Approximately 60 kilometres west of downtown Montreal, Hudson is a popular residential area for those commuting to work on the Island of Montreal.
Hudson's history dates back to the early 19th century when it was an informal rural agglomeration. The Town of Hudson was formally created in June 1969 by merging the villages of Hudson, Hudson Heights, and Como. Known for its large, turn-of-the-century houses, many of which border the Lake of Two Mountains, Hudson is a relatively wealthy town. A ferry from Hudson takes cars across the lake to the village of Oka.
Hudson is near the edge of suburban Montreal to the east, but also surrounded by substantial farming and forest areas to the west. Large lot sizes, enforced by town bylaws, contribute to the relatively large number of trees in the residential areas. The municipal territory of Hudson is delimited as follows:
The bedrock under Hudson is Cambrian Period sandstone, overlain by marine clay or stony sandy loam glacial till. On the surface are sands which were deposited by air or water. Most of Hudson is built on the Ste-Sophie loamy fine sand, which is well drained and drought-prone despite its clay base.
The local post office opened in 1841, originally named Pointe-à-Cavagnol. In 1845, a glass factory was established there by George Matthews, whose wife was called Elisa Hudson. Her name was adopted by the post office in 1865. In 1877, the Village Municipality of Como was formed when it separated from Vaudreuil. This village was named after Lake Como in Italy due to its scenic location on Lake of Two Mountains. It was renamed to Hudson in 1921.
The town gained notoriety in 1991 by becoming the first in Quebec, Canada to ban several forms of lawn and garden pesticides used to kill insects and weeds. The Hudson example spurred many other municipalities and provinces in Canada to enact similar bans of pesticides.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Hudson had a population of 5,411 living in 2,338 of its 2,447 total private dwellings. Unlike the surrounding mainly French-speaking municipalities, Hudson has a predominantly English-speaking population, although many residents speak both languages.
Hudson is home to a variety of tourist attractions and hosts several annual events. These include the Hudson Street Fair, the Hudson Yacht Club Labour Day Regatta, the FruitBowl Regatta, Canada Day festivities, Shiver Fest, the Turn on the Lights Festival, the Hudson & Region Studio Tour, the Home & Gardens Tour, the Hudson Festival of Canadian Film, the Santa Claus Parade and the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
The Hudson Yacht Club (HYC) is a boating and social club founded in 1909 on the shores of Lake of Two Mountains. The club annually hosts the "FruitBowl" regatta for young sailors and the Labour Day Regatta for its general membership and visitors.
A single street, Main Road, traverses Hudson east to west, while the southern border of the town mainly runs along Quebec Route 342. A commuter train to Montreal (Vaudreuil-Hudson Line) stops in Hudson once per weekday in either direction.
Hudson has a municipal water and sewage system. The sewage system was built in the first decade of the 21st century and serves the central area of town.
The town operates the Stephen Shaar Community Centre, teen centre, and a municipal outdoor swimming pool. The town also has a number of parks, including St. Thomas Park, Thompson park, Benson Park, Jack Layton Park, and Sandy Beach.
