Port-Cartier is a charming city nestled in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. It is strategically located on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River at the mouth of the Aux-Rochers River, a mere 63 kilometres southwest of Sept-Îles, Quebec. With a population of 6,651 as per the 2011 Canadian census, Port-Cartier spans a land area of 1,101 square kilometres, making it the 27th largest city in Canada by area. The city encompasses the communities of Rivière-Pentecôte and Pointe-aux-Anglais, all conveniently located along Quebec Route 138.
The history of Port-Cartier dates back to 1915 when Colonel Robert R. McCormick, owner of the Chicago Tribune, visited the Rochers River area to assess its forest potential. A settlement, originally named Shelter Bay, was soon established on the west side of the river's mouth. The post office opened in 1916, followed by a sawmill in 1918 and a debarking factory of the Ontario Paper Company in 1920. However, the exhaustion of timber led to the factory's closure in 1955.
In 1958, the Québec Cartier Mining Company built an iron ore processing plant and an artificial sea port near Shelter Bay to ship iron ore mined from Lake Jeannine near Fermont. The town of Port-Cartier, named after the mining company, was incorporated in 1959. The following year, Shelter Bay was added to it, and the original town of Shelter Bay is now known as Port-Cartier West. Today, the port handles approximately 18,000,000 tonnes of cargo per year, ranking third in Quebec in terms of handled tonnage.
In 1875, a mission named Saint-Patrice-de-la-Rivière-Pentecôte was established about 100 km southwest of Sept-Îles at the mouth of the Pentecôte River. The name is attributed to Jacques Cartier, who arrived at the place on the day of Pentecost in 1535. In 1884, the "Penticost River" Post Office opened, which was frenchized to Rivière-Pentecôte in 1933. By the end of the 19th century, it was among the most important industrial centres along the North Shore. In 1972, the Municipality of Rivière-Pentecôte was formed out of unorganized territory. On February 19, 2003, the Municipality of Rivière-Pentecôte was amalgamated into the city of Port-Cartier.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Port-Cartier had a population of 6,516 living in 2,918 of its 3,307 total private dwellings, a decrease of 4.2% from its 2016 population of 6,799. With a land area of 1,092.75 km2, it had a population density of 6.0/km2 in 2021.
The mother tongue distribution in Port-Cartier is as follows:
Explore the rich history and natural beauty of Port-Cartier, Quebec, a city that offers a unique blend of industrial heritage and stunning landscapes.
