Verchères

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement

|name = Verchères

|settlement_type = Municipality

|image_skyline = Vercheres.jpg

|imagesize = 250px

|image_caption = Statue honouring heroine Madeleine de Verchères.

|image_map = Verchères Quebec location diagram.PNG

|map_caption = Location within Marguerite-D'Youville RCM.

|pushpin_map = Canada Southern Quebec#Canada Quebec#Canada

|pushpin_map_caption = Location in southern Quebec.

|coordinates = {{coord|45|47|N|73|21|W|region:CA-QC|display=inline,title}}

|coordinates_footnotes =

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = {{CAN}}

|subdivision_type1 = Province

|subdivision_name1 = {{QC}}

|subdivision_type2 = Region

|subdivision_name2 = Montérégie

|subdivision_type3 = RCM

|subdivision_name3 = Marguerite-D'Youville

|established_title1 = Constituted

|established_date1 = September 18, 1971

|government_footnotes = [http://www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/repertoire-des-municipalites/fiche/municipalite/59025/ Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire: Verchères][http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/HFER/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=Det&Include=Y&rid=1191 Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: VERCHÈRES--LES PATRIOTES (Quebec)]

|leader_title = Mayor

|leader_name = Alexandre Bélisle

|leader_title1 = Federal riding

|leader_name1 = Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères

|leader_title2 = Prov. riding

|leader_name2 = Verchères

|area_footnotes = [https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?LANG=E&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1,4&DGUIDlist=2021A00052459025&HEADERlist=0&SearchText=Vercheres 2021 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Verchères, Quebec]

|area_total_km2 = 85.20

|area_land_km2 = 72.63

|population_footnotes =

|population_total = 5759

|population_as_of = 2021

|population_density_km2 = 79.3

|population_blank1_title = Pop 2016-2021

|population_blank1 = {{decrease}} 1.3%

|population_blank2_title = Dwellings

|population_blank2 = 2453

|timezone = EST

|utc_offset = −5

|timezone_DST = EDT

|utc_offset_DST = −4

|postal_code_type = Postal code(s)

|postal_code = J0L 2R0

|area_codes = 450 and 579

|blank_name = Highways
{{jct|state=QC|A|30}}

|blank_info =
{{jct|state=QC|QC|132}}

|website = {{URL|www.ville.vercheres.qc.ca}}

}}

Verchères ({{IPA|fr|vɛʁʃɛʁ}}) is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in Montérégie, Quebec, located on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 5,759.

History

file:Verchères (Québec)-Panneau d'accueil à l'entrée sud, en bordure de la route Marie-Victorin-2023-09-23.jpg

file:Verchères (Québec)-Vue d'ensemble du magnifique cimetière du village-2023-09-23.jpg

file:Verchères (Québec)-Maison patrimoniale-2023-09-23.jpg

In the 17th century, the settlement at Verchères was the scene of an Iroquois raid that was apparently thwarted by the ingenuity of a 14-year-old girl named Madeleine (now known as Madeleine de Verchères). A cast-iron statue of Madeleine de Verchères stands today by the former location of the settlement stronghold on the shore of the Saint-Lawrence river.

In French, the word Verchères can be used as an adjective to describe a specific type of rowboat invented in Verchères at the end of the 19th century, i.e. chaloupe verchères. A specimen of the rowboat is on permanent outdoor display during the summer and fall at the Parc Jean-Marie Moreau across from the town office.

The motto of Verchères is In Tenebris Lumen Rectis Corde. The streets of Verchères are mostly named after the patronyms of residing families but also after local people who rose to celebrity in Canadian history.

Geography

Verchères is located about 40 km east of Montréal. The municipality is traversed by Road 132, an important road that runs along the St. Lawrence River and connects several municipalities along the south shore. The river plays a significant role in the economy of Verchères, offering picturesque views and opportunities for recreational activities.

The terrain is relatively flat, typical of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands, with some gentle elevations and wooded areas. The landscape of Verchères is typically rural, with farmland, natural areas and residential zones.

Demographics

=Population=

{{Canada census

|location=

|2021_population=5,759 |2021_pop_delta=-1.3 |2021_land_area=72.63 |2021_pop_density=79.3

|2021_median_age=41.8 |2021_median_age_m=42.4 |2021_median_age_f=43.2

|2021_total_pvt_dwell=2,453 |2021_mean_hh_income=90,000 |2021_access_date=2024-06-08

|2016_population=5,835 |2016_pop_delta=+2.5 |2016_land_area=72.57 |2016_pop_density=80.4

|2016_median_age=40.8 |2016_median_age_m=40.8 |2016_median_age_f=40.9

|2016_total_pvt_dwell=2,440 |2016_mean_hh_income=75,955 |2016_access_date=2024-06-08

|2011_population=5,692 |2011_pop_delta=+8.6 |2011_land_area=73.27 |2011_pop_density=77.7

|2011_median_age=40.7 |2011_median_age_m=40.1 |2011_median_age_f=41.3

|2011_total_pvt_dwell=2,406 |2011_mean_hh_income=68,946 |2011_access_date=2014-05-18

|2006_population=5,243 | 2006_pop_delta=+9.6 | 2006_land_area=73.24 | 2006_pop_density=71.6

|2006_median_age=40.3 | 2006_median_age_m=39.8 | 2006_median_age_f=40.9

|2006_total_pvt_dwell=2,162 | 2006_mean_hh_income=58,764 | 2006_access_date=2014-05-18

|2001_population=4,782 | 2001_pop_delta=-1.5 | 2001_land_area=73.24 | 2001_pop_density=65.3

|2001_median_age=39.9 | 2001_median_age_m=39.7 | 2001_median_age_f=40.0

|2001_total_pvt_dwell=1,935 |2001_mean_hh_income=49,483 | 2001_access_date=2014-05-18

|notes=

}}

{{Historical populations|width=60%

| title= Historical Census Data - Verchères, QuebecStatistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census

| percentages =

| shading = off

| align = none

| cols = 3

| 1976 |3586

| 1981 |4473

| 1986 |4530

| 1991 |4781

| 1996 |4854

| 2001 |4782

| 2006 |5243

| 2011 |5692

| 2016 |5835

| 2021 |5759

| footnote =

}}

=Language=

class="wikitable"

!colspan="19"|Canada Census Mother Tongue - Verchères, Quebec

Census

|

! Total

|colspan="1"|

!colspan="3"|{{center|French}}

|colspan="1"|

!colspan="3"|{{center|English}}

|colspan="1"|

!colspan="3"|{{center|French & English}}

|colspan="1"|

!colspan="3"|{{center|Other}}

Year

|

! Responses

|

! Count

! Trend

! Pop %

|

! Count

! Trend

! Pop %

|

! Count

! Trend

! Pop %

|

! Count

! Trend

! Pop %

{{center|2021}}

|

| {{center|5,760}}

|

| 5,550

| {{decrease}} 0.7%

| 96.4%

|

| 60

| {{decrease}} 7.7%

| 1.0%

|

| 50

| {{increase}} 100.0%

| 0.9%

|

| 75

| {{steady}} 0.0%

| 1.3%

{{center|2016}}

|

| {{center|5,770}}

|

| 5,590

| {{increase}} 0.8%

| 96.9%

|

| 65

| {{increase}} 8.3%

| 1.1%

|

| 25

| {{steady}} 0.0%

| 0.4%

|

| 75

| {{increase}} 66.7%

| 1.3%

{{center|2011}}

|

| {{center|5,675}}

|

| 5,545

| {{increase}} 10.1%

| 97.7%

|

| 60

| {{increase}} 50.0%

| 1.1%

|

| 25

| {{increase}} 25.0%

| 0.4%

|

| 45

| {{decrease}} 50.0%

| 0.8%

{{center|2006}}

|

| {{center|5,185}}

|

| 5,035

| {{increase}} 8.3%

| 97.1%

|

| 40

| {{increase}} 33.3%

| 0.8%

|

| 20

| {{increase}} 100.0%

| 0.4%

|

| 90

| {{increase}} 125.0%

| 1.7%

{{center|2001}}

|

| {{center|4,730}}

|

| 4,650

| {{decrease}} 2.3%

| 98.3%

|

| 30

| {{decrease}} 25.0%

| 0.6%

|

| 10

| {{increase}} n/a%

| 0.2%

|

| 40

| {{increase}} 60.0%

| 0.9%

{{center|1996}}

|

| {{center|4,825}}

|

| 4,760

| n/a

| 98.7%

|

| 40

| n/a

| 0.8%

|

| 0

| n/a

| 0.0%

|

| 25

| n/a

| 0.5%

Government

=Municipal=

Municipal elections are held en bloc, according to a six-district system.https://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/en/electoral-maps/municipalities-divided-into-electoral-districts/

Notable people

Panorama

{{Wide image|Vercheres panorama winter.jpg|1600 px|View of Verchères from the Saint Lawrence River in winter}}

{{Wide image|Vercheres summer.jpg|1800 px|View of Verchères from the Saint Lawrence River in summer}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{toponymie |65404}}

}}