Saint-Antoine-de-l'Isle-aux-Grues (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃t‿ɑ̃twandəliloɡʁy]) is a parish municipality in Quebec, Canada, in the Montmagny Regional County Municipality in the administrative region of Chaudière-Appalaches. It is known for birdwatching, goose-hunting, and cheeses.

History

In 1831, the local parish was formed, called Saint-Antoine in honour of Anthony of Padua. In 1845, the Parish Municipality of Saint-Antoine-de-l'Isle-aux-Grues was created, taking its name from the parish and the archipelago.

2010 plane crash

On May 19, 2010, at about 3:30 p.m. Eastern time, a Cessna 172 airplane carrying four people crashed on Isle-aux-Grues, killing three people.

Geography

Saint-Antoine-de-l'Isle-aux-Grues includes of the majority of islands in the Isle-aux-Grues Archipelago[fr]. Its major islands are:

  • Île aux Grues, largest island and the only one permanently inhabited
  • Île aux Oies, formerly also known by its English name Île Goose
  • Grosse Île, long a quarantine site for immigrants and now a national historic site
  • Île Sainte-Marguerite
  • Île au Canot
  • Île Longue
  • Île à Deux Têtes
  • Île du Cheval
  • Île la Sottise

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saint-Antoine-de-l'Isle-aux-Grues had a population of 122 living in 72 of its 102 total private dwellings, a change of -15.3% from its 2016 population of 144. With a land area of 23.97 km2 (9.25 sq mi), it had a population density of 5.1/km2 (13.2/sq mi) in 2021.

YearPop.±%
Historical census populations – Saint-Antoine-de-l'Isle-aux-Grues
YearPop.±%1871639—1881630−1.4%1891586−7.0%1901517−11.8%1911681+31.7%1921646−5.1%1931510−21.1%1941528+3.5%YearPop.±%1951461−12.7%1956425−7.8%1961364−14.4%1966260−28.6%1971234−10.0%1976215−8.1%1981236+9.8%1986238+0.8%YearPop.±%1991202−15.1%1996176−12.9%2001158−10.2%2006163+3.2%2011146−10.4%2016144−1.4%2021122−15.3%
1871639
1881630−1.4%
1891586−7.0%
1901517−11.8%
1911681+31.7%
1921646−5.1%
1931510−21.1%
1941528+3.5%
YearPop.±%
1951461−12.7%
1956425−7.8%
1961364−14.4%
1966260−28.6%
1971234−10.0%
1976215−8.1%
1981236+9.8%
1986238+0.8%
YearPop.±%
1991202−15.1%
1996176−12.9%
2001158−10.2%
2006163+3.2%
2011146−10.4%
2016144−1.4%
2021122−15.3%
Source: Statistics Canada

Government

List of former mayors:

  • George Painchaud (1867–1869, 1887–1889, 1892–1893)
  • Gatien Lachaîne (1869–1875)
  • Louis Lavoie (1875–1887)
  • Wilfrid Lavoie (1889–1892)
  • Fénélon Vézina (1893–1903)
  • Paul Charles Painchaud (1903–1911, 1920–1929)
  • Joseph Lavoie (1911–1920)
  • Joseph N. Lemieux (1929–1935)
  • Olivier Gagné (1935–1939)
  • Alfred Roy (1939–1945)
  • François-Marcellin Bernier (1945–1947, 1954–1960)
  • Joseph Jean Baptiste Painchaud (1947–1954)
  • Paul-Eugène Lavoie (1960–1977)
  • Gaston Bernier (1977–1978)
  • Gabriel Vézina (1978–1979)
  • Michel Normand (1979–1990)
  • Louise Dion Roy (1990–2003)
  • Jacques-André Roy (2003–2009)
  • Frédéric Poulin (2009–2015, 2023–present)
  • Lisette Vézina Painchaud (2015–2017)
  • Pierre Gariepy (2017–2023)

Transportation

L'Isle-aux-Grues has a small airstrip, which provides the only access to the island during the winter, with Air Montmagny the main airline. A ferry operates during the summer months.

Education

Children from Isle-aux-Grues attend school in Montmagny, Quebec, travelling by plane each day.

See also

External links