Chapais, Quebec

Chapais is a community in the Canadian province of Quebec, located on Route 113 near Chibougamau in the Jamésie region. It is surrounded by, but not a part of, the local municipality of Eeyou Istchee James Bay. The community was first settled in 1929, when prospector Léo Springer discovered deposits of copper, silver and gold in the area, and was incorporated as a city in 1955. It was named for Thomas Chapais.[3]

Chapais
City
Chapais is located in Quebec
Chapais
Chapais
Coordinates: 49°47′N 74°51′W[1][3]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionNord-du-Québec
RCMNone
Settled1929
ConstitutedNovember 16, 1955
Named forThomas Chapais[3]
Government
[4]
 • MayorIsabelle Lessard
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
 • Prov. ridingUngava
Area
[4][5]
 • Total62.40 km2 (24.09 sq mi)
 • Land62.31 km2 (24.06 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[5]
 • Total1,468
 • Density23.6/km2 (61/sq mi)
 • Change (2016–21)
Decrease2.1%
 • Dwellings
711
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
G0W 1H0
Area code(s)418 and 581
ClimateDfc
Websitewww.villedechapais.com

History

Opémisca Copper Mines operated the community's mine until 1991. More recently, with the closure of the mines the community's primary industry has been forestry, and the community opened the first cogeneration plant in Quebec to produce electricity from the sawmill's waste matter.

On the night of January 1, 1980, at 1:30 a.m., 48 people were killed when a fire destroyed the Opémiska Community Hall. Fifty others were injured and rushed to Chibougamau hospital. This fire was the worst to occur in Quebec for more than 40 years. The fire started in wreaths of dried branches and other Christmas decorations, and the ensuing chaos that followed quickly blocked access to the main entrance. Several people managed to escape in time, but the tragedy left deep scars in the community.[6]

Chapais had a population of 1,468 in the Canada 2021 Census.

A crater on Mars is named after this community.

Geography

Climate

Chapais has a marginal subarctic climate[7] (Koppen: Dfc) just a shade colder than the humid continental (Koppen: Dfb) areas to the south. Winters are bitterly cold, but summers are relatively warm during daytime, but nights remain relatively cool. As such the yearly mean is just above freezing. Summers have high rainfall and winters are quite snowy.

Climate data for Chapais (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.5
(47.3)		 9.0
(48.2)		 16.0
(60.8)		 28.0
(82.4)		 31.5
(88.7)		 34.5
(94.1)		 35.0
(95.0)		 33.3
(91.9)		 29.0
(84.2)		 24.4
(75.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 11.0
(51.8)		 35.0
(95.0)
Average high °C (°F) −13.5
(7.7)		 −10.3
(13.5)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 13.9
(57.0)		 20.0
(68.0)		 22.2
(72.0)		 20.5
(68.9)		 14.2
(57.6)		 6.7
(44.1)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −9.3
(15.3)		 5.4
(41.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −18.8
(−1.8)		 −16.2
(2.8)		 −9.5
(14.9)		 −0.3
(31.5)		 8.1
(46.6)		 14.1
(57.4)		 16.4
(61.5)		 15.0
(59.0)		 9.7
(49.5)		 3.1
(37.6)		 −5.2
(22.6)		 −13.6
(7.5)		 0.2
(32.4)
Average low °C (°F) −24.2
(−11.6)		 −22.2
(−8.0)		 −15.5
(4.1)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 2.2
(36.0)		 8.2
(46.8)		 10.5
(50.9)		 9.5
(49.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 −8.5
(16.7)		 −18
(0)		 −4.9
(23.2)
Record low °C (°F) −43.3
(−45.9)		 −42.8
(−45.0)		 −38
(−36)		 −27.2
(−17.0)		 −16.1
(3.0)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 −6
(21)		 −13.3
(8.1)		 −30
(−22)		 −42
(−44)		 −43.3
(−45.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 61.9
(2.44)		 39.4
(1.55)		 50.3
(1.98)		 56.6
(2.23)		 82.4
(3.24)		 100.1
(3.94)		 124.3
(4.89)		 100.2
(3.94)		 129.7
(5.11)		 93.9
(3.70)		 93.2
(3.67)		 63.5
(2.50)		 995.5
(39.19)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 3.2
(0.13)		 2.4
(0.09)		 8.8
(0.35)		 28.7
(1.13)		 75.5
(2.97)		 100.1
(3.94)		 124.3
(4.89)		 100.2
(3.94)		 128.6
(5.06)		 70.9
(2.79)		 36.7
(1.44)		 5.0
(0.20)		 684.4
(26.93)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 58.8
(23.1)		 37.0
(14.6)		 41.6
(16.4)		 29.5
(11.6)		 6.9
(2.7)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 1.2
(0.5)		 23.0
(9.1)		 56.5
(22.2)		 58.5
(23.0)		 313
(123.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 18.1 13.6 12.1 12.3 14.8 16.3 17.4 17.1 20.2 19.8 19.9 19.3 200.9
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 0.55 1.1 2.4 6.7 13.6 16.3 17.4 17.1 20.1 14.5 6.1 1.3 117.15
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 18.0 12.9 10.4 7.9 2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.47 7.4 16.1 18.5 94.17
Mean monthly sunshine hours 90 122 170 164 202 234 233 208 113 84 46 66 1,732
Source 1: Environment Canada[8]
Source 2: The Weather Network(sunshine data only).[9]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Chapais had a population of 1,468 living in 648 of its 711 total private dwellings, a change of -2.1% from its 2016 population of 1,499. With a land area of 62.31 km2 (24.06 sq mi), it had a population density of 23.6/km2 (61.0/sq mi) in 2021.[10]

Population:[11]

  • Population in 2021: 1,468
    • 2016 to 2021 population change: −2.1%
  • Population in 2016: 1,499
  • Population in 2011: 1,610
  • Population in 2006: 1,630
  • Population in 2001: 1,795
  • Population in 1996: 2,030
  • Population in 1991: 2,391
  • Population in 1986: 2,875
  • Population in 1981: 3,119
  • Population in 1976: 3,147
  • Population in 1971: 2,914
  • Population in 1966: 2,459
  • Population in 1961: 2,363
  • Population in 1956: 380

Mother tongue:

  • English as first language: 3.7%
  • French as first language: 89.5%
  • English and French as first language: 1%
  • Other as first language: 5.1%

References
  1. "Chapais". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. "Chapais". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  3. "Reference number 12293 in Banque de noms de lieux du Québec". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  4. "Geographic code 99020 in the official Répertoire des municipalités". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
  5. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?LANG=E&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1,4&DGUIDlist=2021A00052499020&HEADERlist=0&SearchText=Chapais
  6. 1 janvier 1980 - Incendie meurtrier à Chapais
  7. "Chapais, Quebec Climate Summary". Weatherbase. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  8. "Chapais 2". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 2020-07-17. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  9. Statistics, Accessed 10 March 2012.
  10. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  11. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
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