Matagami, a small town nestled in the heart of Quebec, Canada, is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Located north of Amos, on the picturesque Matagami Lake, this town serves as the northern terminus of Route 109 and the starting point of the James Bay Road. Although it is enclaved within the local municipality of Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Matagami is administratively independent. As of the 2011 Canada Census, the town had a population of 1,526.
Matagami was founded in 1963, spurred by the development of mining in the area. Prior to this, it was a small prospecting camp, accessible only by float plane. However, the discovery of a viable mineral deposit in the late 1950s led to the establishment of a permanent settlement. In 1962, the Quebec Toponomy Commission attempted to name the new community Mazenod, after Charles-Joseph-Eugène de Mazenod, the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. However, local residents protested, and the community was named after Matagami Lake. The name Matagami, meaning "the confluence of waters" in the Cree language, reflects the town's geographical location. The first church service in Matagami was held on 17 April 1962.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Matagami had a population of 1,402 living in 617 of its 736 total private dwellings, a change of -3.5% from its 2016 population of 1,453. With a land area of 75.12 km2 (29.00 sq mi), it had a population density of 18.7/km2 (48.3/sq mi) in 2021. The population trend over the years has been as follows:
In terms of mother tongue:
Matagami is located in the geographic centre of Quebec, quite far to the west and on similar parallels to Winnipeg and Vancouver further west in Canada. Despite being in a sparsely populated area, it shares the same parallel as the hot Rhine shift around Mannheim in Germany, which is more than 10 °C warmer in terms of yearly mean temperature. Nearby lakes include Lake Olga, adding to the town's natural beauty.
Policing in Matagami is provided by the Surete du Quebec, ensuring the safety and security of its residents and visitors.
Despite being located below the 50th parallel, Matagami experiences a subarctic climate (Dfc). The winter season is long and cold with a January daily mean of −20 °C (−4 °F), but summer temperatures during the short season are quite warm for subarctic climates. On average, around 133 days of the year do not have temperatures above freezing. The cold air is dominant with 224.4 days of the year averaging air frost. Also, a full 30.5 days of the year should fall to below −30 °C (−22 °F). Around three days in summer are warm enough to reach 30 °C (86 °F), indicating a very continental climate.
