Saint-Jean-de-Matha

Saint-Jean-de-Matha (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ ʒɑ̃ də mata]) is a municipality located within the Matawinie Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada, in the Lanaudière region.

Saint-Jean-de-Matha
Municipality
Sainte-Louise Street in Saint-Jean-de-Matha
Seal
Nickname:  Capitale de la force
Location within Matawinie RCM
Saint-Jean-de-Matha Location in central Quebec
Coordinates: 46°14′N 73°32′W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Lanaudière
RCM	Matawinie
Constituted	July 1, 1855
Government [2]
• Mayor	Sylvain Roberge
• Federal riding	Joliette
• Prov. riding	Berthier
Area [2][3]
• Total	112.90 km2 (43.59 sq mi)
• Land	109.49 km2 (42.27 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[3]
• Total	4,838
• Density	39.6/km2 (103/sq mi)
• Pop 2016-2021	8.7%
• Dwellings	2,851
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	J0K 2S0
Area codes	450 and 579
Highways	R-131 R-337
Website	www.municipalitestjeandematha.com

History

The territory was once part of the seigneurial system in the 18th century and was travelled by several coureur des bois for the fur industry as well as workers in the logging industry as it was located nearby rich forest lands of the Laurentians and the Haute Mauricie regions near the Saint-Maurice River.

In the 1850s that the Saint-Jean-de-Matha Parish was made a municipality in 1855. While development was at first slow in the 19th century, the population grew rapidly as settlers arrived in Quebec or moved away from the regions closer to the Saint Lawrence River as part of measures to develop new lands across the province.

Demographics

Population

Historical Census Data - Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Quebec^[4]

Year	Pop.	±%
1861	1,346	—
1871	2,293	+70.4%
1881	2,133	−7.0%
1891	2,675	+25.4%
1901	1,958	−26.8%
1911	1,958	+0.0%
1921	1,800	−8.1%
1931	1,428	−20.7%
1941	1,713	+20.0%
1951	1,744	+1.8%
1956	1,673	−4.1%
1961	1,709	+2.2%
1966	1,712	+0.2%
1971	1,842	+7.6%
1976	2,031	+10.3%
1981	2,515	+23.8%
1986	2,926	+16.3%
1991	3,260	+11.4%
1996	3,624	+11.2%
2001	3,602	−0.6%
2006	4,152	+15.3%
2011	4,335	+4.4%
2016	4,450	+2.7%
2021	4,838	+8.7%

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 2,259 (total dwellings: 2,851)

Language

Mother tongue:^[5]

• English as first language: 1.2%
• French as first language: 96.9%
• English and French as first language: 0.5%
• Other as first language: 1.2%

Transportation

The main transportation link of the municipality is Route 131 which travels throughout much of the Lanaudière region from Saint-Michel-des-Saints southward towards Joliette and Lavaltrie in which it connects Autoroute 40 towards Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa-Gatineau. Secondary Route 337 travels through more western towns of the Lanaudière region towards the northern Montreal suburbs of Terrebonne and Mascouche located along Autoroute 25 just north of the east end of Laval.

Railway service also exists since the late 19th century part of a Canada-wide development initiated by the first Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald which help develop several small industries despite frequent departures by several locales towards the United States in the late 19th century.

Education

The Commission scolaire des Samares operates francophone public schools:

• École Bernèche^[6]

The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates anglophone public schools, including:

• Joliette Elementary School in Saint-Charles-Borromée^[7]
• Joliette High School in Joliette^[8]

See also

• List of municipalities in Quebec