The first settlers began arriving in this area, called "Métis" around 1840. In 1855, the municipality of Métis was officially founded. In 1859, a sector of Métis splitted and became the new municipality of Mac Nider. One year later, in 1960, Métis changed is name to Saint-Octave the Métis. The municipality lost signification portions of its territory twice before the end of the 18 century. First in 1878 for the creation of Saint-Moïse and again in 1897 for the creation of Petit-Métis. Finally in 1908, Saint-Octave-de-Métis was divied in two distinct municipalities: Saint-Octave-de-Métis and Saint-Octave-de-Métis-Sud.[1]
This municipality was therefore officially created in 1908 under the name Saint-Octave-de-Métis-Sud. and was created by the division of Saint-Octave-de-Métis. In 1931, the original municipality of Saint-Octave-de-Métis changed its name to Grand-Métis, therefore, Saint-Octave-de-Métis-Sud took the current name of Saint-Ocatve-de-Métis. In 1952, Saint-Octave-de-Métis lost an important portion of its territory for the creation of Les Boules, which as since been merged with Métis-sur-Mer.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saint-Octave-de-Métis had a population of 493 living in 207 of its 221 total private dwellings, a change of -3.5% from its 2016 population of 511. With a land area of 75.16 km2 (29.02 sq mi), it had a population density of 6.6/km2 (17.0/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
Notable people
Jules-André Brillant, born 1888, baptized and educated in Saint-Octave-de-Métis, French Canadian entrepreneur
