In 1915, Colonel Robert R. McCormick, owner of the Chicago Tribune, visited the Rochers River area to evaluate its forest potential. Soon after, a settlement was established on the west side of the mouth of this river, originally called Shelter Bay.[8] The post office opened in 1916, followed by a sawmill in 1918 and a debarking factory of the Ontario Paper Company in 1920. Yet the exhaustion of timber led to the closure of the factory in 1955.[1]
In 1958, the Québec Cartier Mining Company constructed an iron ore processing plant and an artificial sea port near Shelter Bay, for shipping the iron ore mined from deposits at Lake Jeannine near Fermont. Port-Cartier, named after the mining company, was incorporated as a town in 1959 [1] and the next year, Shelter Bay was added to it.[9] The original town of Shelter Bay is now the suburb known as Port-Cartier West.[10] Today, the port handles approximately 18,000,000 tonnes (19,800,000 short tons; 17,700,000 long tons) of cargo per year [8] and ranks third in Quebec in terms of handled tonnage.[1]
In 1875, a mission called Saint-Patrice-de-la-Rivière-Pentecôte was established some 100 km south-west of Sept-Îles at the mouth of the Pentecôte River. This name is attributed to Jacques Cartier who arrived at the place on the day of Pentecost in 1535. In 1884, the "Penticost River" Post Office opened, frenchized to Rivière-Pentecôte in 1933. At the end of the 19th century, it was among the most important industrial centres along the North Shore. In 1972, the Municipality of Rivière-Pentecôte was formed out of unorganized territory.[11]
On February 19, 2003, the Municipality of Rivière-Pentecôte was amalgamated into the city of Port-Cartier.[11]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Port-Cartier had a population of 6,516 living in 2,918 of its 3,307 total private dwellings, a change of -4.2% from its 2016 population of 6,799. With a land area of 1,092.75 km2 (421.91 sq mi), it had a population density of 6.0/km2 (15.4/sq mi) in 2021.[3]
Notes: Municipality of Rivière-Pentecôte amalgamated into the Town of Port-Cartier on February 19, 2003. References: 2021[12] 2016[13] 2011[14] earlier[15][16]
Historical Census Data - Port-Cartier, Quebec
Year
Pop.
±%
1961
3,458
—
1966
3,537
+2.3%
1971
3,730
+5.5%
1976
8,139
+118.2%
1981
8,191
+0.6%
1986
6,858
−16.3%
1991
7,383
+7.7%
Year
Pop.
±%
1996
7,070
−4.2%
2001
6,412
−9.3%
2006
6,758
+5.4%
2011
6,651
−1.6%
2016
6,799
+2.2%
2021
6,516
−4.2%
Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes and mergers. Source: Statistics Canada[17][18]
Historical census populations – Rivière-Pentecôte
Year
Pop.
±%
1976
953
—
1981
924
−3.0%
1986
786
−14.9%
1991
736
−6.4%
1996
622
−15.5%
2001
640
+2.9%
The Municipality of Rivière-Pentecôte existed from 1972 to 2003. Source: Statistics Canada
The Correctional Service of Canada operates the Port-Cartier Institution, a maximum security prison, about two kilometres to the north. The institution houses male offenders and offers various programs and services to promote rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Port-Cartier Institution is known for its focus on education and vocational training, with a wide range of courses available to help inmates develop new skills and prepare for successful reentry into the workforce upon release.[19] Notable inmates have included convicted murderers Paul Bernardo, Russell Williams, Michael Rafferty, Mohammed Shafia, Robert Pickton, and Guy Turcotte.[20]
^"1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical)". Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2). Statistics Canada: 76, 139. July 1973.
4.2%
R-138
