Chapais, Quebec

Chapais
City
Chapais
Coordinates (145, boulevard Springer[1]): 49°47′N 74°51′W / 49.783°N 74.850°W / 49.783; -74.850Coordinates: 49°47′N 74°51′W / 49.783°N 74.850°W / 49.783; -74.850[2]
Country  Canada
Province  Quebec
Region Nord-du-Québec
RCM None
Settled 1929
Constituted November 16, 1955
Named for Thomas Chapais[2]
Government[1]
 • Mayor Steve Gamache
 • Federal riding Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
 • Prov. riding Ungava
Area[1][3]
 • Total 62.40 km2 (24.09 sq mi)
 • Land 63.64 km2 (24.57 sq mi)
  There is an apparent contradiction between two authoritative sources
Population (2011)[3]
 • Total 1,610
 • Density 25.3/km2 (66/sq mi)
 • Change (2006–11) Decrease1.2%
 • Dwellings 728
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s) G0W 1H0
Area code(s) 418 and 581
Climate Dfc
Website www.villedechapais.com

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 municipality of Baie-James. 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.[2]

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 lost their lives 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, which may have been triggered in wreaths of dried flowers and 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. Several dignitaries, including Premier René Lévesque, offered their sympathies to the victims' families.[4]

Chapais had a population of 1,610 in the Canada 2011 Census.

A crater on Mars is named after this community.

Demographics

Population:[5]

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 674 (total dwellings: 728)

Mother tongue:

Climate

Chapais has a marginal subarctic climate[6] just a shade colder than the humid continental 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)		 33.3
(91.9)		 29.0
(84.2)		 24.4
(75.9)		 17.8
(64)		 11.0
(51.8)		 35.0
(95)
Average high °C (°F) −13.5
(7.7)		 −10.3
(13.5)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 13.9
(57)		 20.0
(68)		 22.2
(72)		 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)		 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)		 −15.5
(4.1)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 2.2
(36)		 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)		 −38
(−36)		 −27.2
(−17)		 −16.1
(3)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −2.2
(28)		 −6
(21)		 −13.3
(8.1)		 −30
(−22)		 −42
(−44)		 −43.3
(−45.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 61.9
(2.437)		 39.4
(1.551)		 50.3
(1.98)		 56.6
(2.228)		 82.4
(3.244)		 100.1
(3.941)		 124.3
(4.894)		 100.2
(3.945)		 129.7
(5.106)		 93.9
(3.697)		 93.2
(3.669)		 63.5
(2.5)		 995.5
(39.192)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 3.2
(0.126)		 2.4
(0.094)		 8.8
(0.346)		 28.7
(1.13)		 75.5
(2.972)		 100.1
(3.941)		 124.3
(4.894)		 100.2
(3.945)		 128.6
(5.063)		 70.9
(2.791)		 36.7
(1.445)		 5.0
(0.197)		 684.4
(26.944)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 58.8
(23.15)		 37.0
(14.57)		 41.6
(16.38)		 29.5
(11.61)		 6.9
(2.72)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 1.2
(0.47)		 23.0
(9.06)		 56.5
(22.24)		 58.5
(23.03)		 313
(123.23)
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[7]
Source #2: The Weather Network(sunshine data only).[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Geographic code 99020 in the official Répertoire des municipalités (French)
  2. 1 2 3 Reference number 12293 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (French)
  3. 1 2 "(Code 2499020) Census Profile". 2011 census. Statistics Canada. 2012.
  4. ↑ 1 janvier 1980 - Incendie meurtrier à Chapais
  5. ↑ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  6. ↑ "Chapais, Quebec Climate Summary". Weatherbase. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "Chapais 2". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  8. ↑ Statistics, Accessed 10 March 2012.
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