Editing Bas-Saint-Laurent (section)

== Politics and administration ==

===Administrative divisions===
* '''Regional county municipalities''' (RCM), with populations per 2016 census<ref>{{cite web |title=Population and Dwelling Count Highlight Tables, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=701&SR=51&S=3&O=D&RPP=25&PR=0&CMA=0&CSD=0 |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=December 27, 2019}}</ref>
** [[Kamouraska Regional County Municipality]] - 21,073
** [[La Matapédia Regional County Municipality]] - 17,925
** [[La Mitis Regional County Municipality]] - 18,210
** [[Les Basques Regional County Municipality]] - 8,694
** [[La Matanie Regional County Municipality]] - 21,301
** [[Rimouski-Neigette Regional County Municipality]] - 56,650
** [[Rivière-du-Loup Regional County Municipality]] - 33,958
** [[Témiscouata Regional County Municipality]] - 19,574
* '''Indian reserves'''
** [[Cacouna, Quebec (Indian reserve)|Cacouna]] (not to be confused with [[Cacouna, Quebec|Cacouna]] the city)
** [[Kataskomiq]]

Inside the RCMs are important cities including:<ref>{{mamrot|type=region|01}}</ref>
* [[Rimouski]] (Rimouski-Neigette RCM)
* [[Rivière-du-Loup]] (Rivière-du-Loup RCM)
* [[Matane]] (La Matanie RCM)
* [[Mont-Joli]] (La Mitis RCM)
* [[Amqui]] (La Matapédia RCM)

==== Cities ====
===== Rimouski =====
[[File:Rimouski 2013.jpg|thumb|left|[[Rimouski]]]]
{{Main|Rimouski}}
As a service centre, the city of [[Rimouski]] is the main urban centre of Bas-Saint-Laurent, located on the south bank of the St. Lawrence, east of [[Quebec City]]. Located {{convert|325|km|abbr=on}} away from the capital of the nation, the city is the economic, social and cultural metropolis of the region. A number of major regional institutions, like [[Université du Québec à Rimouski]], the [[cégep de Rimouski]], the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rimouski]], the courthouse, the federal and provincial public administration, the [[Seat (legal entity)|seat]] of a number of companies<ref name="DiscRim">{{cite web |title=Discover Rimouski |url=http://www.ville.rimouski.qc.ca/en/decouvrezRimouski |website=Ville de Rimouski |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> and the regional hospital of Rimouski, the most important hospital centre of eastern Quebec, are located there.

With a population of 47,687 inhabitants in 2012, this new city created in 2002,<ref name="MAMROTRIM">{{cite web |last1=Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Rimouski |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/10043/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> as part of the [[2000–06 municipal reorganization in Quebec|municipal reorganizations]] which occurred across Quebec. In this reorganization the city of Rimouski was fused with the municipalities of [[Rimouski-Est]], [[Pointe-au-Père, Quebec|Pointe-au-Père]], [[Sainte-Odile-sur-Rimouski, Quebec|Sainte-Odile-sur-Rimouski]], [[Sainte-Blandine, Quebec|Sainte-Blandine]] and [[Mont-Lebel, Quebec|Mont-Lebel]].<ref name="DiscRim"/> Another process of municipal fusion added the municipality [[Le Bic, Quebec|Le Bic]] to the city on the 16 of September 2009. The area of the new city covers {{convert|529.|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name="MAMROTRIM"/> and extends itself along the [[Quebec Route 132|route 132]] and the river on {{convert|50|km|abbr=on}}.

===== Rivière-du-Loup =====
[[File:Rivière-du-Loup-aube.jpg|thumb|right|[[Rivière-du-Loup]]]]
{{Main|Rivière-du-Loup}}
[[Rivière-du-Loup]] is the second most important city of Bas-Saint-Laurent. The main concurrent of Rimouski, the city houses 19,695 inhabitants in 2012. It is the result of the merging of Rivière-du-Loup with the municipality of the parish of Saint-Patrice-de-la-Rivière-du-Loup.<ref name="MAMROTRIV">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Rivière-du-Loup |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/12072/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec }}</ref>

===== Matane =====
[[File:Embouchre.Riviere.Matane.jpg|thumb|right|[[Matane]]]]
{{Main|Matane}}
The city of  [[Matane]] is the third-largest city of the region by population. Granted as a fief and seigniory to Mathieu D'Amours in 1667 when it was a trading post of the fur trade and a fishing port,{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|p=113}} it is also the easternmost city of Bas-Saint-Laurent. Matane is sometimes considered as part of Gaspésie, like in the tourism sector where it is part of the touristic region of Gaspésie. Two small neighboring municipalities, [[Petit-Matane]] and Saint-Luc-de-Matane were appended to the city in 2001. Matane was home to 14,504 inhabitants in 2012.<ref name="MAMROTMAT">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Matane |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/08053/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec }}</ref>

===== Other cities =====
[[File:Amqui.jpg|thumb|right|[[Amqui, Quebec|Amqui]]]]
{{Main|La Pocatière, Quebec|Mont-Joli, Quebec|Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, Quebec|Amqui, Quebec|Trois-Pistoles, Quebec}}

[[Mont-Joli, Quebec|Mont-Joli]] (6,673 inhabitants in 2012)<ref name="MAMROTMJ">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Mont-Joli |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/09077/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec }}</ref> is a turning plate of transportation in eastern Quebec. It is the eastern end of the [[Quebec Autoroute 20|autoroute 20]] since 2008,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Banville |first1=Janine |title=Ouverture mardi du tronçon de l'autoroute 20 entre Sainte-Luce et Mont-Joli |url=http://www.hebdosregionaux.ca/bas-st-laurent/2008/11/29/ouverture-mardi-du-troncon-de-lautoroute-20-entre-sainte-luce-et-mont-joli |access-date=16 March 2013 |publisher=La Voix de la Matanie |date=29 November 2008}}</ref> The city contains a train station and [[Mont-Joli Airport]] operating regular flights to [[Montreal]], [[Quebec City|Quebec]], [[Côte-Nord]] and the [[Magdalen Islands]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Destinations |url=https://aeroportmontjoli.com/en/flight-information/destinations/ |website=Aéroport régional de Mont-Joli |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> A foundry<ref>{{cite news |title=Bas-Saint-Laurent : La fonderie Bradken de Mont-Joli sera agrandie |url=http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/est-quebec/2012/06/13/012-economie-fonderie-mont-joli.shtml |access-date=16 March 2013 |publisher=Radio-Canada |date=13 June 2012}}</ref> and transformation factories of goods taken from the forest<ref>{{cite web |title=Usine de transformation du bois |url=http://www.centrap.ca/usine.php |website=Centrap |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lévesque |first1=Sonia |title=Bois BSL obtient une partie du CAAF |url=http://www.hebdosregionaux.ca/bas-st-laurent/2012/06/05/bois-bsl-obtient-une-partie-du-caaf |access-date=16 March 2013 |publisher=Hebdos régionaux - Bas-Saint-Laurent |date=5 June 2012}}</ref> are the main employers of the city.

Located at the confluence of the [[Matapédia River|Matapédia]] and [[Humqui River|Humqui]] rivers,<ref>{{cite web|title=Notre histoire|url=http://www.ville.amqui.qc.ca/information/histoire.html|website=Ville d'Amqui|access-date=16 March 2013}}</ref> [[Amqui]] (6,292 inhabitants in 2012)<ref name="MAMROTRAM">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Amqui |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/07047/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec }}</ref> is the most important town of the [[Matapedia Valley]] and the administrative centre of [[La Matapédia Regional County Municipality|RCM of La Matapédia]]. Founded in 1907, the exploitation of the surrounding forest long constituted the main activity of the city. Today, the forestry industry of Matapedia seeks to optimize their use of the wood with projects to develop the use of the [[Biomass (ecology)|residual biomass]] for [[Biomass|energetic ends]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Forget |first1=Dominique |title=30 villages qui se réinventent |url=http://www.lactualite.com/societe/30-villages-qui-se-reinventent |access-date=1 January 2019 |publisher=L'Actualité |date=25 May 2011}}</ref> and the production of goods of second and third transformation in collaboration with the Service de recherche et d’expertise en transformation des produits forestiers (SEREX), an entity attached to the [[cégep de Rimouski]].

[[Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac]] (5,085 inhabitants in 2012),<ref name="MAMROTTEM">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/13073/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec }}</ref> is the result of the fusion of the towns of [[Cabano]] and [[Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Quebec|Notre-Dame-du-Lac]] in 2010. This administrative centre of the [[Témiscouata Regional County Municipality|RCM of Témiscouata]], like the rest of its RCM, owes its wealth principally to agriculture, the maple syrup industry and forestry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Portrait économique |url=http://temiscouatasurlelac.ca/affaires/portrait%20economique |website=Ville de Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> Since 1976, the factory Norampac owned by the company [[Cascades (company)|Cascades]] which manufactures corrugated fiberboard<ref>{{cite web |title=Norampac |url=https://www.cascades.com/en/profile/cascades-worldwide/ca/quebec/containerboard-packaging-cabano |website=Cascades |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> and a manufacturer of prefabricated homes<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://batitech.ca/en/contact-us |website=Batitech |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> are established in the municipality.

[[La Pocatière]] (4,242 inhabitants in 2012)<ref name="MAMROTLAPOC">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : La Pocatière |url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/14085/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec }}</ref> is the largest city of the [[Kamouraska Regional County Municipality|RCM of Kamouraska]]. Seat of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière|Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière]], of the [[cégep de La Pocatière]] and one of the two campuses of the [[Institut de technologie agroalimentaire]], the city has had a strong agricultural sector since the end of the 17th century. Its economy benefits from the presence of a factory assembling [[rolling stock]]s owned by the company [[Bombardier Transportation]].<ref name="Bombardier">{{cite news |last1=Larouche |first1=Marc |title=Bombardier embauche à La Pocatière |url=http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/affaires/les-regions/201302/05/01-4618731-bombardier-embauche-a-la-pocatiere.php |access-date=5 March 2013 |publisher=Le Soleil |date=6 February 2013 |language=fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720192528/http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/affaires/les-regions/201302/05/01-4618731-bombardier-embauche-a-la-pocatiere.php |archive-date=20 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Trois-Pistoles, Quebec|Trois-Pistoles]] (3,471 inhabitants in 2012)<ref name="MAMROT3PIS">{{cite web |last1=Government of Quebec |title=Répertoire des municipalités : Trois-Pistoles|url=https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/recherche-avancee/fiche/municipalite/11040/ |website=Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire |access-date=1 January 2019|author1-link=Government of Quebec}}</ref> is the administrative centre of the [[Les Basques Regional County Municipality|RCM Les Basques]], the least populated of the eight RCMs of Bas-Saint-Laurent. Its economy is dominated by agriculture and tourism.

===School districts===
Francophone:
* Commission scolaire du Fleuve-et-des-Lacs ([[Les Basques Regional County Municipality|Les Basques]] and [[Témiscouata Regional County Municipality|Témiscouata]]).
* Commission scolaire de Kamouraska - Rivière-du-Loup
* Commission scolaire des Monts-et-Marées ([[La Matapédia]] and [[Matane]]).
* Commission scolaire des Phares ([[La Mitis]] and [[Rimouski-Neigette]]).

Anglophone:
* [[Eastern Shores School Board]]

===Representation and political tendencies===
Since the modification of the electoral map of Quebec in 2011, three constituencies are entirely located inside the region of Bas-Saint-Laurent: [[Matane-Matapédia]], [[Rimouski (provincial electoral district)|Rimouski]] et [[Rivière-du-Loup–Témiscouata]]. The voters of the western part of the region are part of the constituency of [[Côte-du-Sud]], shared between the regions of Bas-Saint-Laurent and [[Chaudière-Appalaches]].

The Maliseet are also represented by the [[Maliseet First Nation of Viger]].

==== Provincial representation ====
The region is represented in the [[National Assembly of Quebec]] since the [[2014 Quebec general election]] by :

* [[Matane-Matapédia]] : [[Pascal Bérubé]] ([[Parti québécois|PQ]])
*[[Rimouski (provincial electoral district)|Rimouski]] :  [[Harold LeBel]] ([[Parti québécois|PQ]]).
* [[Rivière-du-Loup–Témiscouata]] : [[Jean D'Amour]] ([[Quebec Liberal Party|QLP]])
* [[Côte-du-Sud]] : [[Norbert Morin]] ([[Quebec Liberal Party|QLP]]).

With the exception of Rimouski's, all constituencies voted "no" during the [[1980 Quebec referendum]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Référendum du 20 mai 1980 |url=http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/francais/tableaux/referendum-1980-8483.php |website=Directeur général des élections du Québec |access-date=10 March 2013 |language=fr}}</ref> In 1992, the five constituencies of Bas-Saint-Laurent refused the [[Charlottetown Accord]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Référendum du 26 octobre 1992 |url=http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/francais/tableaux/referendum-1992-8482.php |website=Directeur général des élections du Québec |access-date=10 March 2013 |language=fr |archive-date=23 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523180716/http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/francais/tableaux/referendum-1992-8482.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> Three years later, every constituency votes "yes" to the [[1995 Quebec referendum]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Référendum du 30 octobre 1995 |url=http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/francais/tableaux/referendum-1995-8481.php |website=Directeur général des élections du Québec |access-date=10 March 2013 |language=fr}}</ref>

==== Federal representation ====
Bas-Saint-Laurent is represented in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] since the [[2021 Canadian federal election]] by :

* [[Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques]], situated entirely within the adminastrative region: [[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas]] ([[Bloc Quebecois|BQ]]);
* [[Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup]], including voters from [[Chaudière-Appalaches]]: [[Bernard Généreux]] ([[Conservative Party of Canada|CPC]]);
* [[Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia]], also contains voters from the region of [[Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine]]: [[Kristina Michaud]] ([[Bloc Quebecois|BQ]]).