La Pocatière (French pronunciation: [la pɔkatjɛʁ]) is a town in the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada.

La Pocatière
View of La Pocatière
View of La Pocatière
Location within Kamouraska RCM
Location within Kamouraska RCM
La Pocatière is located in Eastern Quebec
La Pocatière
La Pocatière
Location in eastern Quebec
La Pocatière is located in Canada
La Pocatière
La Pocatière
La Pocatière (Canada)
Coordinates: 47°22′N 70°02′W / 47.367°N 70.033°W / 47.367; -70.033[1]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionBas-Saint-Laurent
RCMKamouraska
Settled1672
ConstitutedJanuary 1, 1960
Government
 • MayorVincent Bérubé
 • Federal ridingMontmagny—L'Islet—
Kamouraska—Rivière-
du-Loup
 • Prov. ridingCôte-du-Sud
Area
 • Total
20.30 km2 (7.84 sq mi)
 • Land21.18 km2 (8.18 sq mi)
 There is an apparent
contradiction between two
authoritative sources
Population
 • Total
4,078
 • Density192.5/km2 (499/sq mi)
 • Pop 2016-2021
Decrease 1.0%
 • Dwellings
2,201
DemonymsPocatois, Pocatoise
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code(s)418 and 581
Highways
A-20 (TCH)

R-132
R-230
Websitewww.lapocatiere.ca

Demographics

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In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, La Pocatière had a population of 4,078 living in 1,981 of its 2,201 total private dwellings, a change of -1% from its 2016 population of 4,120. With a land area of 21.18 km2 (8.18 sq mi), it had a population density of 192.5/km2 (498.7/sq mi) in 2021.[4]

Economy

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Alstom has a 51,135 square metres (550,410 sq ft) plant which manufactures subway and railway cars:

The plant was built in 1961 to build Moto-Ski snowmobiles and the plant was converted to railcars in 1971[5] (Bombardier continued to market Moto-Ski until 1985).

Arts and culture

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La Pocatière is home to the Musée François-Pilote, a museum of Quebec ethnology. The museum features exhibits on the history of agricultural education, a number of historical period rooms, stuffed bird and animal displays, and presentations on other aspects of local history.

Attractions

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Near the city are small isolated hills known as monadnocks. The Montagne du College-de-Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière is 119 metres high.

Government

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City council consists of a mayor and six councillors:

As of 2024 the council consisted of:

  • Mayor: Vincent Bérubé
  • Councillors:
    • 1: Guillaume Dufour
    • 2: Émilie Dionne
    • 3: Marie-Claude Godin
    • 4: Mario Guignard
    • 5: Simon Fissette
    • 6: Steve Leclerc

Education

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Cégep de La Pocatière

There are three post-secondary institutions in La Pocatière:

The town has three public schools under the Commission scolaire de Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup:

  • École Sacré-Coeur - elementary school
  • École Polyvalente La Pocatière - secondary school
  • Éducation des adultes - adult learning

Sister cities

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La Pocatière is twinned with:

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 34210". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  2. ^ a b "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 14085". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
  3. ^ a b "Census Profile, 2021 Census, Statistics Canada - Validation Error".
  4. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  5. ^ Bombardier transportation site fact sheet. La Pocatiere Canada[dead link]
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