Sainte-Irène

Sainte-Irène (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃t iʁɛn]) is a parish municipality of more than 300 habitants in Quebec, Canada, located in the Matapedia Valley of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

Val-d'Irène regional park in September 2009

Sainte-Irène
Parish municipality
Church of Sainte-Irène
Motto:  Où le vent tourne à nos espérances
Location within La Matapédia RCM.
Sainte-Irène Location in eastern Quebec.
Coordinates: 48°26′N 67°36′W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Bas-Saint-Laurent
RCM	La Matapédia
Settled	c. 1930
Constituted	January 1, 1953
Government [2]
• Mayor	Sébastien Lévesque
• Federal riding	Rimouski—La Matapédia
• Prov. riding	Matane-Matapédia
Area [2][3]
• Total	135.20 km2 (52.20 sq mi)
• Land	135.09 km2 (52.16 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[4]
• Total	369
• Density	2.7/km2 (7/sq mi)
• Pop 2016-2021	12.8%
• Dwellings	246
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	G0J 2P0
Area codes	418 and 581
Highways	No major routes
Website	www.steirene.com

Demographics

Historical Census Data - Sainte-Irène, Quebec^[5]

Year	Pop.	±%
1956	1,102	—
1961	955	−13.3%
1966	748	−21.7%
1971	549	−26.6%
1976	396	−27.9%
1981	351	−11.4%
1986	343	−2.3%
1991	363	+5.8%
1996	352	−3.0%
2001	323	−8.2%
2006	350	+8.4%
2011	341	−2.6%
2016	327	−4.1%
2021	369	+12.8%

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Sainte-Irène had a population of 369 living in 174 of its 246 total private dwellings, a change of 12.8% from its 2016 population of 327. With a land area of 135.09 km² (52.16 sq mi), it had a population density of 2.7/km² (7.1/sq mi) in 2021.^[6]

Canada census – Sainte-Irène community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	369 (12.8% from 2016)	327 (-4.1% from 2011)	341 (-2.6% from 2006)
Land area	135.09 km2 (52.16 sq mi)	135.25 km2 (52.22 sq mi)	136.56 km2 (52.73 sq mi)
Population density	2.7/km2 (7.0/sq mi)	2.4/km2 (6.2/sq mi)	2.5/km2 (6.5/sq mi)
Median age	45.6 (M: 45.6, F: 46.0)	46.9 (M: 48.8, F: 46.1)	47.6 (M: 49.2, F: 43.5)
Private dwellings	246 (total)	259 (total)	233 (total)
Median household income	$71,000	$53,675	$68,040

References: 2021^[7] 2016^[8] 2011^[9]

Government

Municipal council

• Mayor: Sébastien Lévesque
• Councillors: Nathalie Daoust, Kaven Jean, Carmen Fournier, Nancy Lizotte, Alain Delisle, Nelson Thériault

Political representation

Sainte-Irène federal election results^[10]

Year		Liberal		Conservative		Bloc Québécois		New Democratic		Green
	2021	7%	15	9%	18	75%	148	4%	7	0%	0
	2019	24%	41	9%	15	62%	110	2%	4	2%	3
	2015	36%	43	7%	8	30%	36	16%	19	1%	1
	2011	23%	34	10%	14	40%	58	26%	38	1%	2
	2008	32%	44	11%	15	48%	66	4%	6	5%	7
	2006	10%	13	21%	26	54%	68	8%	10	6%	8
	2004	28%	34	3%	4	63%	75	4%	5	2%	2

Sainte-Irène provincial election results^[11]

Year		CAQ		Liberal		QC solidaire		Parti Québécois
	2022	14%	23	0%	0	5%	8	72%	115
	2018	12%	24	8%	15	6%	12	72%	140
	2014	11%	20	16%	29	10%	18	64%	117
	2012	28%	39	13%	18	6%	8	54%	76

Provincially it is part of the riding of Matane-Matapédia. In the 2022 Quebec general election the incumbent MNA Pascal Bérubé, of the Parti Québécois, was re-elected to represent the population of Sainte-Irène in the National Assembly of Quebec.^{[citation needed]}

Federally, Sainte-Irène is part of the federal riding of Rimouski—La Matapédia. In the 2025 Canadian federal election, the incumbent Maxime Blanchette-Joncas of the Bloc Québécois was re-elected and began to represent the population Sainte-Irène in the House of Commons of Canada after the electoral district of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia was abolished.

See also

• List of parish municipalities in Quebec