Matapédia, formerly known as Saint-Laurent-de-Matapédia, is a municipality nestled at the southern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula, in eastern Quebec, Canada. The name Matapédia is believed to be derived from the Mi'kmaq word 'matapegiag', meaning "river junction". This refers to the Matapédia River that crosses the town before merging with the Restigouche River. The area was also known as Magabegeak, meaning "roughly flowing", by the Mi'kmaq in the late nineteenth century. Over time, the name has been spelled in various ways, including Matapediach, Madapeguia, Matapeguia, Matapediac, Matakpediack, Madapeguia, Metapedia, and Matapediac. The residents and expatriates of this village are known as Matapedians.
Matapédia is located south of the Saint Lawrence River on the south side of the Gaspé Peninsula. It lies at the eastern end of the Matapédia Valley, where the Matapédia River meets the Restigouche River. The municipality is 500 km northeast of Quebec City and 350 km southwest of the city of Gaspé. The major cities near Matapedia are Campbellton, New Brunswick, 25 km to the east, and Amqui, 80 km to the northwest. Matapédia is part of the regional county municipality of Avignon in the administrative region of Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine. It includes three hamlets: Mann Settlement, Matapédia West, and Runnymede.
The colonization of Matapédia began in 1808 with the arrival of Loyalists, followed by Irish settlers in 1850, Acadians in 1860, and French Canadians in 1865. The colonization process was challenging due to immense forest fires that had ravaged the valley in the mid-19th century. In 1842, the geographic township was formed, named after the Matapédia River. A mission was established in 1860, and the Matapédia Post Office opened in 1864. On November 4, 1905, the place was incorporated as the Parish Municipality of Saint-Laurent-de-Matapédia, named after the local parish and township. However, since 1973, it has been officially known by its abbreviated name, Matapédia.
Today, Matapédia is a vibrant community with a general store and a designated Heritage Railway Station since 1994. The economy is primarily based on local geography, with activities such as salmon fishing, fly tying, hunting, and tourism. The town also contains a belvedere overlooking the main part of town from over 200 metres up. Fishing remains an integral part of the Matapédia economy and heritage, with conservation efforts in place to protect the Atlantic salmon in both rivers. On February 27, 2010, the status of the parish municipality was changed to just municipality.
Matapédia has a history of recurring floods, particularly during the spring thaw. Notable floods have occurred in 1861, 1896-1897, 1959, 1974, 1992, 1994, and 2008. The floods are often caused by substantial increases in water flow, sometimes over 400% above previous levels, due to clear cutting of forests along the Matapédia and Restigouche Rivers.
Matapédia is internationally recognized for its many pools for fishing for Atlantic salmon. To protect these pools for future generations, the wildlife reserve Rivières-Matapédia-et-Patapédia was established on a part of its course.
According to Statistics Canada, the population of Matapédia, Quebec was 566 inhabitants in 2021, a decrease of 12.2% in five years. The median age of Matapédia residents is higher than in most of Quebec at 54.4 years. The majority of homes are villas and apartment buildings. The mother tongue for 80% of the population is French, and 20% are English-speaking Quebecers. However, 43% of the population is bilingual. The unemployment rate in the municipality was 20% in 2016. The median income of Matapédiens was $27,648 in 2015.
