Baie-James

{{Short description|Former municipality in Quebec, Canada}}

{{About|the former municipality|the current municipality|Eeyou Istchee James Bay|the bay|James Bay}}

{{use Canadian English|date=March 2019}}

{{Infobox settlement

|name = Baie-James

|official_name =

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|settlement_type = Municipality

|image_skyline = Baie-James2004.jpg

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|motto = "A territory the size of a country"

|image_map = Mun-Baie-James.png

|mapsize = 200px

|map_caption = Municipality of Baie-James, Quebec

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|coordinates = {{coord|52|00|N|76|00|W|scale:4000000|display=inline,title}}

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|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = Canada

|subdivision_type1 = Province

|subdivision_name1 = Quebec

|subdivision_type2 = Region

|subdivision_name2 = Nord-du-Québec

|subdivision_type3 = RCM

|subdivision_name3 = None

|established_title =

|established_date =

|established_title1 = Constituted

|established_date1 = July 14, 1971

|established_title2 = Dissolved

|established_date2 = July 24, 2012

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|established_date3 =

|government_footnotes = {{Cite web |url=http://www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/repertoire-des-municipalites/fiche/municipalite/99060/ |title=Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire: Baie-James |access-date=2012-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305071905/http://www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/repertoire-des-municipalites/fiche/municipalite/99060 |archive-date=2016-03-05 |url-status=dead }}

|government_type =

|leader_title = Mayor

|leader_name = Gérald Lemoyne

|leader_title1 = Federal riding

|leader_name1 = Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou and Abitibi—Témiscamingue

|leader_title2 = Prov. riding

|leader_name2 = Ungava

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|area_footnotes ={{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2499060&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&Data=Count&SearchText=Baie-James&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |title=Baie-James census profile |publisher=Statistics Canada |work=2011 Census of Population |date=8 February 2012 |access-date=2012-02-09}}

|area_magnitude =

|area_total_km2 = 335818.20

|area_land_km2 = 297332.84

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|population_footnotes =

|population_total = 1303

|population_as_of = 2011

|population_density_km2 = 0.0

|population_blank1_title= Pop (2006–11)

|population_blank1 = {{decrease}} 6.5%

|population_blank2_title= Dwellings

|population_blank2 = 701

|population_note =

|timezone = EST

|utc_offset = −05:00

|timezone_DST = EDT

|utc_offset_DST = −04:00

|postal_code_type = Postal code(s)

|postal_code = J0Y

|area_code = 819

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|website = {{URL|www.villembj.ca}}

|footnotes =

}}

The Baie-James ({{IPA|fr|bɛ dʒɛmz}}) was a former municipality in northern Quebec, Canada, which existed from 1971 to 2012. Located to the east of James Bay, Baie-James covered {{convert|297,332.84|km2|abbr=on}} of land, making it the largest incorporated municipality in Canada — only eight unorganized territories were larger.[https://archive.today/20130116013730/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/popdwell/Table.cfm?T=302&SR=26&S=1&O=A&RPP=25&PR=24&CMA=0/ Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses] Its territory almost entirely (about 98%) covered the administrative region of Jamésie, although it contained less than five percent of the population. Essentially, it was the remainder of the Jamésie Territory's land after all of the major population centres were removed.

On July 24, 2012, the Quebec government signed an accord with the Cree that would result in the abolition of Baie-James and the creation of a regional government known as Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory.{{cite news|url=http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-quebecoise/201207/24/01-4558458-quebec-et-les-cris-signent-une-entente-pour-un-gouvernement-regional.php|title=Québec et les Cris signent une entente pour un gouvernement régional|newspaper=La Presse|author=Lia Lévesque|agency=La Presse Canadienne|date=24 July 2012|access-date=2012-07-24}}

The hydroelectric power plants of the La Grande Complex were all located within the municipal boundaries of Baie-James, making the municipality strategically important to Quebec's energy policy. Other important economic sectors are mining, softwood logging, forestry, and tourism.