J.A. Bilodeau (b. March 19, 1883, in Capelton - d. May 14, 1961, in Montréal) was a businessman and local politician in

Shawinigan Shawinigan () is a city located on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie area in Quebec, Canada. It had a population of 49,349 as of the 2016 Canadian census. Shawinigan is also a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) an ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

. He was the 11th Mayor of Shawinigan Falls from 1938 to 1946. He was born in 1883 in Capelton, near

Sherbrooke Sherbrooke ( ; ) is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. It is at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional count ...

, the eldest son of Jean Bilodeau and Adèle Turcotte. In 1901, he settles in the community of

Baie-de-Shawinigan Baie-de-Shawinigan (Canada 1996 Census population 265) is a small industrial community within the City of Shawinigan in the Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. The place is named after its location on a bay of the Saint-Maurice River. For a perio ...

and works at the

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...

plant of the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, where he eventually becomes foreman. He marries Antoinette Larrivée on June 21, 1904. His wife dies on January 29, 1907. He marries his second wife, Eva Richard on February 4, 1908, in St-Rachel (Bellechasse). Around 1914, he leaves his job at the aluminum company and opens a grocery store on 4^e rue (Fourth Street) in Shawinigan Falls. In 1924, he opens groceries

wholesaling Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In g ...

business, Bilodeau & Fils, which becomes a successful business. He ran for

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

of Shawinigan Falls in 1936 and 1937, but was defeated. He ran again in 1938 and won against incumbent

Alexandre Gélinas Alexandre Gélinas was a local politician in Shawinigan, Quebec. He was the tenth Mayor of Shawinigan from 1937 to 1938. He was born in 1894 in Saint-Barnabé, in the Mauricie region in Quebec, Canada and was married to Laure Lauterreur. Although ...

. Bilodeau was re-elected in 1940, 1942 and 1944. He did not run in 1946. During his administration, which took place during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, a new municipal auditorium,Later renamed aréna Jacques-Plante the downtown city market building and a second Shawinigan-based aluminum plant were dedicated and the city decided to build a new city hall. Parc Saint-Marc (now renamed parc Antoine-Saint-Onge) was built and became home of a new public swimming pool. He died in 1961. He was buried in the Saint-Joseph cemetery in Shawinigan. ''Rue Bilodeau'' in the Shawinigan-Nord neighbourhood was named to honour him.

Notes and references

1883 births 1961 deaths Mayors of Shawinigan People from Estrie {{Quebec-mayor-stub