Schefferville, Quebec
Schefferville, Quebec
| Schefferville | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
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|
 Schefferville
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| Coordinates: 54°48′N 66°50′W / 54.8°N 66.833°WCoordinates: 54°48′N 66°50′W / 54.8°N 66.833°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Côte-Nord |
| Regional county | Caniapiscau |
| Settled | 1953 |
| Formed | August 1, 1955 |
| Government | |
| - Administrator | Marcella Beaudoin |
| - Federal riding | Manicouagan |
| - Prov. riding | Duplessis |
| Area | |
| - Total | 39.02 km2 (15.1 sq mi) |
| - Land | 25.11 km2 (9.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 202 |
| - Density | 8.0/km2 (20.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal Code | G0G 2T0 |
| Area code(s) | 418 and 581 |
Schefferville is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec. Schefferville is in the heart of the Naskapi and Innu territory in northern Quebec, less than 2 km from the border with Labrador on the north shore of Knob Lake. The town has an incorporated area of 25.11 square kilometres (9.70 sq mi). It is located within the Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality. Schefferville completely surrounds the autonomous community of Matimekosh and it abuts the small community of Lac-John Reserve. Both communities are First Nations reserves.
The isolated town is not connected to the provincial road network but is accessible by airplane via the Schefferville Airport or by train. Schefferville is the northern terminus of Tshiuetin Rail Transportation (formerly operated by the Quebec North Shore & Labrador (QNS&L) Railway) with service to Labrador City.
McGill University continues to operate the McGill Subarctic Research Station in Schefferville.
Contents |
History
Schefferville was established as a town by the Iron Ore Company Of Canada in 1954 to support the mining of rich iron ore deposits in the area. The original settlement was called "Burnt Creek" and was located some miles to the north of the current location of the town of Schefferville. When the plans were drawn up for the town, it was originally called "Knob Lake" after a prominent iron ore outcropping visible on a prominent hill south of the town site, but the name Schefferville was adopted in honour of (Roman Catholic) Bishop Lionel Scheffer, who served as the Vicar Apostolic of Labrador from March 14, 1946, until his death on October 3, 1966.
At the time of the town's founding, Innu from Maliotenam and Naskapi from Fort Chimo were resettled to Schefferville to assist with geological exploration work and the railway construction. Following many years of neglect and destitute poverty, in 1968 parts of the town were set aside for them as a reserve. By 1972, housing units had been built, and most of the Naskapi and Innu moved to this new site, known today as Matimekosh Reserve.
For some years in the late 1950s, NORAD operated a radar station in Schefferville as part of the MEW (Middle Early Warning) or Mid-Canada Line, part of North America's defences against possible Soviet attack across the arctic.
At its peak in the late 1960s, Schefferville counted some 5,000 residents. But iron ore mining ceased there in 1982, on orders from the then president of the Iron Ore Company, Brian Mulroney, who later became Prime Minister of Canada. Most of the 4,000 or so non-aboriginal occupants left, leaving mostly aboriginal people who settled there in the preceding 30 years. In 1986, the town even ceased to exist as an incorporated legal entity, but this decision was reversed in 1990. Some houses and public facilities were demolished, while other parts of the infrastructure were added to the Matimekosh Reserve.
Demographics
At the 2006 census, Schefferville had a population of 202 inhabitants, a decline of almost 16 percent from the 2001 census total of 240. In comparison, Matimekosh had a population of 528 and Lac-John, 16. The town counted 93 private dwellings occupied by usual residents out of a total of 197.
Many Naskapi first nation people mostly live in the village of Kawawachikamach, northwest of Schefferville. They are mostly Anglican and Protestant and speak English as their second language.
The other first nation tribe, residing mainly in Schefferville and Matimekosh, are the Montagnais who are largely Roman Catholic and speak French as their second language. Nearly all residents of the area are quadrilingual to a certain extent, alternating between Naskapi, Montagnais, English and French. The breakdown of mother tongues is:
- English as first language: 17.1 %
- French as first language: 43.9 %
- English and French as first language: 4.9 %
- Other as first language: 34.1 %
Population trend:
- Population in 2006: 202 (2001 to 2006 population change: -15.8 %)
- Population in 2001: 240
- Population in 1996: 578
- Population in 1991: 303
Notable residents
Albert Cormier was the police commissioner of Schefferville and the superintendent of Iron Ore Co. He died in May 2008 at the age of 79.
The controversial mid-20th century Quebec premier, Maurice Duplessis, died in Schefferville on September 7, 1959. His government was defeated the following year while being led by his second of two successors, the first having died in January 1960.
Recent developments
As a result of increased demand for steel and iron ore there are currently two official projects to re-establish mining operations out of Schefferville.
The first is the LabMag Iron Ore Project in Labrador, 30 kilometres west of Schefferville. The objective is to develop mining and concentrating near Schefferville that will mine 33 million tonnes of crude iron ore per year to produce 10 million tonnes per year of concentrate and pellets for a minimum of 20 years. Actual mining production is projected to begin around 2011. The Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach owns 20% of The LabMag Iron Ore Project.
In addition, Anglesey Mining is awaiting the grant of final operational permits on its former Iron Ore Company of Canada deposits. Production is scheduled to start during late summer 2010, with output rising to two or three million tons of ore a year by 2012 before further deposits are developed. Innu protesters are currently (July 2010) blocking access to Schefferville and delaying mining preparation with demands for increased compensation for the commercial exploitation of their traditional homelands.
Climate
Schefferville experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with very long, frigid winters and short, cool to mild summers.
| Climate data for Schefferville, Quebec | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) |
5.1 (41.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.1 (55.6) |
28.3 (82.9) |
34.3 (93.7) |
31.7 (89.1) |
28.7 (83.7) |
26.7 (80.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
5 (41) |
34.3 (93.7) |
| Average high °C (°F) | -19 (-2) |
-16.9 (1.6) |
-9.8 (14.4) |
-1.5 (29.3) |
6 (43) |
13.7 (56.7) |
17.2 (63) |
15.8 (60.4) |
8.9 (48) |
1.3 (34.3) |
-6.1 (21) |
-15.9 (3.4) |
-0.5 (31.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −24.1 (-11.4) |
−22.6 (-8.7) |
-16 (3) |
-7.3 (18.9) |
1.2 (34.2) |
8.5 (47.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.2 (52.2) |
5.4 (41.7) |
-1.7 (28.9) |
-9.8 (14.4) |
−20.6 (-5.1) |
-5.3 (22.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | -29.2 (-20.6) |
-28.1 (-18.6) |
-22.2 (-8) |
-13.1 (8.4) |
-3.6 (25.5) |
3.3 (37.9) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6.5 (43.7) |
1.7 (35.1) |
-4.6 (23.7) |
-13.5 (7.7) |
-25.2 (-13.4) |
-10 (14) |
| Record low °C (°F) | -48.3 (-54.9) |
-50.6 (-59.1) |
-45 (-49) |
-36.1 (-33) |
-23.3 (-9.9) |
-7.8 (18) |
0 (32) |
-3.3 (26.1) |
-9.4 (15.1) |
-19.4 (-2.9) |
-35.6 (-32.1) |
-47.2 (-53) |
-50.6 (-59.1) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 53.2 (2.094) |
38.7 (1.524) |
53.3 (2.098) |
61.4 (2.417) |
52.1 (2.051) |
73.7 (2.902) |
107.2 (4.22) |
84.5 (3.327) |
98.4 (3.874) |
80.5 (3.169) |
69.4 (2.732) |
50.7 (1.996) |
822.9 (32.398) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 57.4 (22.6) |
42.6 (16.77) |
56.6 (22.28) |
54.8 (21.57) |
22.9 (9.02) |
8 (3.1) |
0.5 (0.2) |
1.7 (0.67) |
12.7 (5) |
57.2 (22.52) |
70.7 (27.83) |
55.4 (21.81) |
440.5 (173.43) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 17.1 | 14.3 | 16.4 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 16.1 | 19 | 18.4 | 20.4 | 21.8 | 21.3 | 19 | 215.9 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 17.4 | 14.3 | 16.6 | 14.6 | 10.3 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 6.4 | 19 | 21.3 | 19.2 | 142.9 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
- ^ a b Ministère des Affaires Municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire - Répertoire des municipalités: Schefferville
- ^ a b c d Statistics Canada 2006 Census - Schefferville community profile
- ^ a b "Schefferville (ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=58761. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
- ^ "Our Nation - History". Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach. http://www.naskapi.ca/en/our_nation/history.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
- ^ Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 27 July 2009
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Lac-Vacher | |
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| Div. No. 10 Subd. D (NL) |  |
Lac-John, Lac-Vacher | ||
 Schefferville (surrounds Matimekosh)  |
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| Lac-Vacher |
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