Chibougamau
- meeting place is located in mountainous terrain, on
the shores of Gilman Lake, near Aux Dorés and
Chibougamau Lakes. It is the largest community in Northern
Québec. Initially, the name Chibougamau designated
a territory covering over 1600 square kilometers traversed
by the fur route, a seaway linking Lac St-Jean to James
Bay. Chibougamau was frequented as early as the 17th
Century by many merchants, explorers and «coureurs
des bois» . Father Charles Albanel also crossed
the region to get to Hudson Bay in 1671. One of the
many lakes that dot the region carries his name. The
first official exploratory mining excursion to the territory
was conducted in 1870 by James Richardson. The discovery
of a gold-bearing quartz lode in 1903 by Peter McKenzie,
a fur trader, generated intermittent waves of intensive
exploration of the sector. However, the exploitation
of the rich polymetallic deposits (gold, copper and
silver) got underway only in 1975, with the opening
of the Campbell Mine.
First founded as a mining village in 1950, Chibougamau
obtained its status of municipal corporation in 1954.
Although still considered a mining town, the town’s
economy has diversified over the years and its population
has developed a strong sense of nordic identity. Today,
forestry employs as many people as the mining industry,
and Chibougamau has become the main service centre for
neighbouring communities. In recent years, tourism has
grown considerably due, among others, to the Mining
Centre, opened in 1997.
| Address : |
650, 3rd Street
Chibougamau
G8P 1P1 |
| Telephone : |
(418) 748-2688 |
| Administrative
Region : |
Nord-du-Québec (10) |
| Census Canada
Region : |
Nord-du-Québec (99) |
