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Murdochville
Murdochville
City
	Location within La Côte-de-Gaspé RCM
	Murdochville Location in eastern Quebec
	Coordinates: 48°58′N 65°30′W / 48.967°N 65.500°W
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
RCM	La Côte-de-Gaspé
Settled	1950
Constituted	July 15, 1953
Government
• Mayor	Délisca Ritchie Roussy
• Federal riding	Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine
• Prov. riding	Gaspé
Area
• Total	64.35 km2 (24.85 sq mi)
• Land	60.84 km2 (23.49 sq mi)
Elevation	535 m (1,755 ft)
Population (2021)
• Total	643
• Density	10.6/km2 (27/sq mi)
• Pop (2016-21)	1.2%
• Dwellings	476
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	G0E 1W0
Area code(s)	418 and 581
Highways	R-198
Website	www.murdochville.com

Murdochville is a city in Quebec, Canada, one of only a few inland communities on the Gaspé Peninsula. Its population (as of 2021) is 643.^[3]

History

In 1921, copper ore was discovered in the area by the Miller brothers: Alfred, Sydney, Frederick, Angus and Theophilus. However, it was not until 1950 that Noranda Mines actually began mining. The mining town was set up and named after James Y. Murdoch, owner of the mine and first president of Noranda. In 1953, the town was incorporated.^[1]

The mining operation in the town was comparatively large, starting with mining the raw ore and finishing with an end product of pure copper anode. In the 1970s, the mining operation in Murdochville was large enough to support a population of 5,000 inhabitants. A number of large union battles in Murdochville also helped lay the groundwork for ideas that still exist today.^[vague] The 1957 Murdochville strike led to the adoption of several new laws protecting the rights of unionized workers in Quebec.^[vague]

In 1987, the mine was partially destroyed by an underground fire, and mining only resumed two years later.^[1]

The mine closed in 1999, leaving the town to fight for survival. After several close calls, the small town has decided to fight back, in an effort to reverse the economic uncertainty that has befallen the town. This has included the creation of several large wind turbine projects, along with the diversification of the local economy, with emphasis on tourism (such as skiing in the winter months).

Geography

Murdochville is located along Quebec Route 198 in the geographic township of Holland, 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of L'Anse-Pleureuse and 93 kilometres (58 mi) west of Gaspé. It is 535 metres (1,755 ft) above sea level and surrounded by high mountains.

Climate

Murdochville has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb). Summers are relatively cool and short, whereas winters are long and at times very cold with massive amounts of snowfall. The brief summers are, however, mild enough to keep September (the fourth-warmest month) right above the 10 °C (50 °F) isotherm for a humid continental climate.

Climate data for Murdochville, Quebec
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	8.5 (47.3)	15.6 (60.1)	16.7 (62.1)	23.5 (74.3)	29.4 (84.9)	33.0 (91.4)	33.5 (92.3)	32.8 (91.0)	28.9 (84.0)	24.0 (75.2)	20.0 (68.0)	10.6 (51.1)	33.5 (92.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−9.1 (15.6)	−7.9 (17.8)	−1.7 (28.9)	5.2 (41.4)	12.5 (54.5)	18.2 (64.8)	21.0 (69.8)	20.2 (68.4)	14.3 (57.7)	7.3 (45.1)	0.5 (32.9)	−5.9 (21.4)	6.2 (43.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−13.8 (7.2)	−12.7 (9.1)	−6.3 (20.7)	0.8 (33.4)	7.5 (45.5)	13.1 (55.6)	16.2 (61.2)	15.6 (60.1)	10.2 (50.4)	3.9 (39.0)	−2.8 (27.0)	−9.7 (14.5)	1.8 (35.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−18.4 (−1.1)	−17.3 (0.9)	−11.0 (12.2)	−3.6 (25.5)	2.4 (36.3)	7.9 (46.2)	11.4 (52.5)	10.9 (51.6)	6.0 (42.8)	0.5 (32.9)	−6.0 (21.2)	−13.5 (7.7)	−2.6 (27.4)
Record low °C (°F)	−36.1 (−33.0)	−36.7 (−34.1)	−29.0 (−20.2)	−22.2 (−8.0)	−12.8 (9.0)	−3.9 (25.0)	1.5 (34.7)	−1.7 (28.9)	−6.1 (21.0)	−15.0 (5.0)	−21.0 (−5.8)	−30.5 (−22.9)	−36.7 (−34.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	101 (4.0)	73 (2.9)	102 (4.0)	80 (3.1)	64 (2.5)	87 (3.4)	111 (4.4)	96 (3.8)	79 (3.1)	87 (3.4)	111 (4.4)	127 (5.0)	1,118 (44)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	91.1 (35.9)	68.5 (27.0)	91.4 (36.0)	56.7 (22.3)	10.6 (4.2)	0.3 (0.1)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.0)	0.5 (0.2)	23.4 (9.2)	77.3 (30.4)	111.5 (43.9)	531.4 (209.2)
Average precipitation days	14.8	12.8	13.9	12.4	12.3	13.7	15.0	13.0	13.5	13.6	17.4	17.2	169.6
Average rainy days	1.3	0.6	1.9	4.7	10.7	13.7	15.0	13.0	13.3	10.0	5.2	2.0	91.4
Average snowy days	14.2	12.5	12.6	8.3	2.2	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.3	4.8	13.2	16.2	84.4
Source: ^[4]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Murdochville had a population of 643 living in 327 of its 476 total private dwellings, a change of -1.2% from its 2016 population of 651. With a land area of 60.84 km² (23.49 sq mi), it had a population density of 10.6/km² (27.4/sq mi) in 2021.^[3]

Canada census – Murdochville community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	643 (-1.2% from 2016)	651 (-14.8% from 2011)	764 (-5.9% from 2006)
Land area	60.84 km² (23.49 sq mi)	61.37 km² (23.70 sq mi)	61.18 km² (23.62 sq mi)
Population density	10.6/km² (27/sq mi)	10.6/km² (27/sq mi)	12.5/km² (32/sq mi)
Median age	50.4 (M: 49.2, F: 53.2)	51.8 (M: 50.3, F: 53.5)	48.8 (M: 49.1, F: 48.6)
Private dwellings	476 (total) 327 (occupied)	512 (total)	508 (total)
Median household income	$57,600	$63,127	$33,013

References: 2021^[5] 2016^[6] 2011^[7] earlier^[8]^[9]

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Murdochville, Quebec^[10]
Census	Total	French			English			French & English			Other
Year	Responses	Count	Trend	Pop %	Count	Trend	Pop %	Count	Trend	Pop %	Count	Trend	Pop %
2021	640	615	0.8%	96.1%	15	25.0%	2.3%	5	0.0%	0.8%	0	0.0%	0.0%
2016	655	620	14.5%	94.7%	20	33.3%	3.1%	5	0.0%	0.8%	0	0.0%	0.0%
2011	760	725	0.0%	95.4%	30	0.0%	4.0%	5	n/a%	0.7%	0	100.0%	0.0%
2006	805	725	34.4%	90.1%	30	14.3%	3.7%	0	100.0%	0.0%	50	400.0%	6.2%
2001	1,175	1,105	25.6%	94.0%	35	65.0%	3.0%	25	150.0%	2.1%	10	n/a%	0.9%
1996	1,595	1,485	n/a	93.1%	100	n/a	6.3%	10	n/a	0.6%	0	n/a	0.0%

Historical Census Data - Murdochville, Quebec

Year	Pop.	±%
1956	1,694	—
1961	2,951	+74.2%
1966	3,028	+2.6%
1971	2,891	−4.5%
1976	3,704	+28.1%
1981	3,396	−8.3%
1986	2,302	−32.2%

Year	Pop.	±%
1991	1,689	−26.6%
1996	1,595	−5.6%
2001	1,171	−26.6%
2006	812	−30.7%
2011	764	−5.9%
2016	651	−14.8%
2021	643	−1.2%

Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes.
Source: Statistics Canada^[10]^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Murdochville (ville)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
^ ^a ^b "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 03025". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Murdochville (Code 2403025) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
^ "Historical Weather for Murdochville, Quebec". Weatherbase. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
^ ^a ^b 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 census
^ "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.