L'Assomption, Quebec, is a charming off-island suburb of Montreal, nestled on the banks of the L'Assomption River. As the seat of the Regional County Municipality of L'Assomption, this town is a significant hub on the outskirts of the Montreal urban area. The local economy thrives on the agricultural industries of the surrounding plains, and L'Assomption also serves as the cultural centre of the region.
The history of L'Assomption, Quebec, dates back to 1647 when the L'Assomption Seignory was granted to Pierre Legardeur de Repentigny. The town was named after the river, which had been known by this name since the seventeenth century. Between 1640 and 1700, a settlement formed within a large horseshoe-shaped meander of the L'Assomption River. This site, known to the Amerindians as Outaragasipi or 'winding river', had been a popular spot since ancient times.
The settlement was initially called Le Portage, as the Amerindians would drag their canoes across the peninsula as a shortcut for the meander. In 1717, the parish of Saint-Pierre-du-Portage-de-l'Assomption was formed, also known as Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul-du-Portage. The village saw a significant influx of Acadian settlers in 1766 and between 1774 and 1888, L'Assomption was the most prosperous town between Montreal and Trois-Rivieres.
The L'Assomption Municipality was established in 1845, abolished in 1847, but reestablished as a parish municipality in 1855. The village itself became a separate Village Municipality in 1846 and obtained town status in 1888. In 1992, the town and parish municipality were merged again, and on July 1, 2000, the neighbouring Parish Municipality of Saint-Gérard-Majella was amalgamated with Ville de L'Assomption. In December 2010, the 1,300-worker Electrolux factory announced its closure, relocating to Memphis, Tennessee.
L'Assomption, Quebec, is home to several communities, including Domaine-Beaudoin-Papin, Domaine-des-Fleurs, L'Assomption, and Saint-Gérard-Majella.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, L'Assomption had a population of 23,442 living in 9,206 of its 9,369 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 4.5% from its 2016 population of 22,429. With a land area of 98.74 km2 (38.12 sq mi), L'Assomption had a population density of 237.4/km2 (614.9/sq mi) in 2021.
