Low, Quebec

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Low
Township municipality
Nickname: 
Paugan
Low is located in Western Quebec
Low
Low
Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 45°49′N 75°57′W / 45.817°N 75.950°W / 45.817; -75.950[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionOutaouais
RCMLa Vallée-de-la-Gatineau
Constituted1 January 1858
Government
[2]
 • MayorCarole Robert
 • Federal ridingPontiac—Kitigan Zibi
 • Prov. ridingGatineau
Area
[2][3]
 • Total
276.32 km2 (106.69 sq mi)
 • Land257.78 km2 (99.53 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total
1,020
 • Density4/km2 (10/sq mi)
 • Pop (2016–21)
Increase 3.9%
 • Dwellings
864
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
J0X 2C0
Area code819
Access Routes R-105
Websitewww.lowquebec.ca Edit this at Wikidata

Low is a township municipality in the La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality of western Quebec, Canada. It is situated along the Gatineau River north of Wakefield, and it is located within Canada's National Capital Region.

Geography

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View of the Gatineau River from the Paugan Dam

Low is situated in a corner of mountainous terrain on the edge of the Gatineau Hills, but conducive to agriculture.[4] It is dotted with an abundance of lakes, most notably Sainte-Marie, Island, Doyle, Cameron, and Venosta Lakes.[5]

In addition to the village of Low itself, other communities in the township municipality are Brennan's Hill,[6] Fieldville,[7] Martindale,[8] North Low,[9] Paugan Falls,[10] Stagsburn,[11] and Venosta.[12]

History

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Low represents a rare case where the township was formed after the municipality; the township dates back to 1859 whereas the municipality was founded in 1848 and the municipality township was officially established on 1 January 1857, and came into force on 1 January 1858. It was named after Charles Adamson Low, an important timber merchant of the region in the mid-19th century, a time when many Irish immigrants settled here. Its post office was established in 1854.[4]

In 1928, the village of Low built the Paugan hydroelectric dam. This caused the voluntary flooding of the village to the north, Lac Saint Marie, Quebec. Because of the dam, 90% of the village of Lac Saint Marie had to be relocated to higher ground.

A section of Low called Tucker Lake was home of the Gatineau Clog, a country music festival founded by Wayne Rostad in 1980 until 1995.

Politics

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The current mayor of Low is Carole Robert, who was elected in November 2017.[13] The two most recent former mayors were Morris O'Connor and Michael Francis, who was mayor back in the mid-eighties, and was re-elected in 1997. Francis announced his retirement in the summer of 2009, and finished his term in November 2009.

Demographics

[edit]
Historical census populations – Low, Quebec
YearPop.±%
1976 891—    
1981 881−1.1%
1986 875−0.7%
1991 892+1.9%
1996 807−9.5%
YearPop.±%
2001 852+5.6%
2006 956+12.2%
2011 920−3.8%
2016 982+6.7%
2021 1,020+3.9%
Source: Statistics Canada[14]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Low had a population of 1,020 living in 495 of its 864 total private dwellings, a change of 3.9% from its 2016 population of 982. With a land area of 257.78 km2 (99.53 sq mi), it had a population density of 4.0/km2 (10.2/sq mi) in 2021.[3]

Mother tongue (2021):[3]

  • English as first language: 53%
  • French as first language: 42%
  • English and French as first language: 4%
  • Other as first language: 1%

Paugan Hydroelectric Station

[edit]
Paugan Station

The Paugan Station (Centrale de Paugan), built in 1928, is a run-of-river hydroelectric power station and dam on the Gatineau river, operated by Hydro-Québec. It has a head of 40.5 m (133 ft), and 8 turbines with a total capacity of 202 MW. Its reservoir is 30 km2 (12 sq mi).[15]

Local government

[edit]

List of former mayors:

  • Michael Francis (...–2009)
  • Morris O'Connor (2009–2017)
  • Carole Robert (2017–present)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 37349". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  2. ^ a b "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 83010". www.quebec.ca (in French). Gouvernement du Québec.
  3. ^ a b c d "Low, Canton (municipalité de) (CT) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Municipalité de Canton de Low" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
  5. ^ "Canton de Low" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
  6. ^ "Brennan's Hill". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Fieldville". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Martindale". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  9. ^ "North Low". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Paugan Falls". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Stagsburn". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Venosta". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Municipal Council". Low Quebec. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  14. ^ 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
  15. ^ "Centrale de Paugan". Hydro-Québec. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
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