Country Canada Settled 1929 Time zone EST (UTC−5) Area 62.4 km² Local time Thursday 7:36 PM | Constituted November 16, 1955 Postal code(s) G0W 1H0 Population 1,610 (2011) Province Québec RCM Nord-du-Québec | |
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Weather -17°C, Wind NW at 23 km/h, 65% Humidity | ||
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.
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Map of Chapais, QC, Canada
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.
Chapais had a population of 1,610 in the Canada 2011 Census.
A crater on Mars is named after this community.
Demographics
Population:
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 674 (total dwellings: 728)
Mother tongue:
Climate
Chapais has a marginal subarctic climate 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.