Lévis, Quebec, a city in eastern Canada, is a place of historical significance and cultural richness. Located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, it stands opposite Quebec City, with a ferry linking Old Quebec with Old Lévis. Two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre-Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City. As of 2021, the city boasts a population of 149,683.
The history of Lévis, Quebec, dates back thousands of years. First Nations and prehistoric indigenous peoples settled in this area due to its ideal location at the confluence of the Chaudière and the St. Lawrence rivers. Archeological sites reveal evidence of human occupation dating back to 10,000 BP. Some historians theorize that Pointe-Lévy could have been one of the main centres of Native American population development in what became the province of Québec.
In 1636, the seignory of Lauzon was founded on the eastern part of this territory. Over the years, other seignories were established near the St. Lawrence River. Pointe-Lévy was primarily developed as an agricultural domain, with several land-owners controlling their part of land in a medieval feudal system.
The land of the Lauzon seignory remained unoccupied until 1647, when Guillaume Couture became the first French settler installed by Quebec City. Couture served as the first Administrator, Chief Magistrate, Captain of the Militia, and member of the Sovereign Council. He was widely considered a hero among colonists in New France.
During the Seven Years' War, British General James Wolfe established a camp in the territory of Pointe-Lévy and laid siege to Quebec City. The siege succeeded, and Quebec fell to the British. During this time, Pointe-Lévy served as the main encampment of the British army in the Quebec area.
In the late 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Alphonse Desjardins pioneered the credit union movement, establishing the first caisse populaire in Lévis. He began developing what later became the Desjardins Group by travelling throughout Quebec and helping people in other cities start their own credit unions.
On June 28, 1985, Canada Post issued "Fort No.1, Point Levis, Que.", one of 20 stamps in the "Forts Across Canada Series". The stamps were printed by Ashton-Potter Limited, based on the designs by Rolf P. Harder.
Lévis covers an area of 444 km2: 10% urban, 48% farmlands, 36% forests, and 6% wetlands. In addition to the Saint Lawrence River, the Etchemin and Chaudière rivers also run through the city before ending their journey into the Saint Lawrence. The Chaudière River also boasts a waterfall with a suspended bridge, which can be accessed from Autoroute 73.
The city of Lévis is divided into three arrondissements or boroughs: Desjardins, Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Ouest, and Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est. The ten former municipalities are today districts within the city; each of the three boroughs is composed of either three or four districts.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lévis had a population of 149,683 living in 65,751 of its 68,205 total private dwellings, a change of 4.4% from its 2016 population of 143,414. With a land area of 448.07 km2, it had a population density of 334.1/km2 in 2021.
The city is one of the most homogeneous in Canada: around 95% of the population is of European ancestry.
Over 95% of residents speak French as their mother tongue, reflecting the city's rich French heritage.
