Saint-Hyacinthe (;

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ) is a city in southwestern Quebec east of Montreal on the

Yamaska River The Yamaska River is a river in southern Quebec, Canada. Sourcing water within the Eastern Townships, it ends its journey in Lake Saint-Pierre where it is a tributary to the Saint Lawrence River; altogether it is long. Crossing nearly twenty ...

. The population as of the

2021 Canadian census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sl ...

was 57,239. The city is located in Les Maskoutains Regional County Municipality of the Montérégie region, and is traversed by the Yamaska River.

Quebec Autoroute 20 Autoroute 20 is a Quebec Autoroute, following the Saint Lawrence River through one of the more densely populated parts of Canada, with its central section forming the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway from the A-25 interchange to the A-8 ...

runs perpendicular to the river. Saint-Hyacinthe is the seat of the judicial district of the same name.

History

Jacques-Hyacinthe Simon dit Delorme, owner of the

seigneurie In English law, seignory or seigniory, spelled ''signiory'' in Early Modern English (; french: seigneur, lit=lord; la, senior, lit=elder), is the lordship (authority) remaining to a grantor after the grant of an estate in fee simple. ''Nulle terre ...

, started its settlement in 1757. He gave his patron saint name (Saint Hyacinth the Confessor of Poland) to the seigneurie, which was made a city in 1850.

St. Hyacinth's Cathedral The Cathedral of St. Hyacinth the Confessor (french: Cathédrale Saint-Hyacinthe-le-Confesseur), located in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe. The cathedral church, named in honour of St. H ...

is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe. It was erected in 1852. Portedesanciensmaires

2001 merger

As part of the

2000–06 municipal reorganization in Quebec The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...

, on 27 December 2001, the city of Saint-Hyacinthe amalgamated with five neighbouring towns (listed here with their populations as of 2001): * Saint-Hyacinthe (39,739) * Sainte-Rosalie (4,170) * Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (4,000) * Sainte-Rosalie Parish (1,476) * Saint-Hyacinthe-le-Confesseur, Quebec (1,151) * Notre-Dame-de-Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec (858)

Demographics

In the

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Saint-Hyacinthe had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Economy

Agriculture and its related derivates are at the heart of Saint-Hyacinthe's economic infrastructure. The city has been nicknamed the "Agricultural

technopolis Technopolis or variants may refer to: *Technopolis or Technology Park are synonyms for science park *Technopolis (Belgium), a Flemish science center and activity museum in Mechelen, Belgium *Technopolis (Gazi), a City of Athens enterprise to protec ...

of Canada", because it is home to several research institutions in the field such as the ''centre de recherche sur les aliments'', the ''Institut de recherche et développement en agro-environnement'', the ''

Institut de technologie agroalimentaire The ''Institut de technologie agroalimentaire'' (ITA) is a collegial institute specialized in agricultural technology and food production in Quebec, Canada. The institution is composed of two campuses, one in Saint-Hyacinthe and the other in La ...

'' and the head office of the Artificial Insemination Center of Quebec. Saint-Hyacinthe hosts numerous agriculture related events such as fairs, exposition and

congresses A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ad ...

and acts a hub in the field. The

Agricultural Hall of Fame of Quebec The Agricultural Hall of Fame of Quebec (French: Temple de la renommée de l'agriculture du Québec) honours and celebrates those who have made a lasting contribution to the advancement in the field of agriculture in the province of Quebec, Canad ...

decided to move there from Quebec City to give itself more visibility in the community. In addition, it is also home to Orgues Létourneau and Casavant Frères, builders of

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...

s, and

Intact Financial Intact Financial Corporation is a Canadian multinational property and casualty insurance company. Originally established in 1809 as the Halifax Fire Insurance Association, it was later acquired by Nationale-Nederlanden and from 1993 to 2009 was a ...

, formerly known as ING Canada.

Transport

* Local bus service operated by ''

Transport Scolaire Sogesco Sogesco is the largest private transportation company in Quebec, Canada. Transport Scolaire Sogesco Inc., founded in 1989, specializes in school transportation, but also provides paratransit and urban transit services. It employs more than 1000 ...

''Ville Saint-Hyacinthe transport en commun
* Paratransit service by MRC Les Maskoutains * Train bus service to

Mont-Saint-Hilaire station Mont-Saint-Hilaire station is a commuter rail station operated by Exo in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. It is the eastern terminus of the Mont-Saint-Hilaire line Mont-Saint-Hilaire (also designated exo3) is a commuter railway line in Gr ...

, connecting by Exo on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire line to Central Station in

Downtown Montreal Downtown Montreal ( French: ''Centre-Ville de Montréal'') is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The district is situated on the southernmost slope of Mount Royal, and occupies the western portion of the borough of Vil ...

* Interurban bus service by Exo de la Vallée du Richelieu sector * Via Rail has several trains that stop at the Saint-Hyacinthe station * The private

Saint-Hyacinthe Aerodrome Saint-Hyacinthe Aerodrome is located west of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. The Saint-Hyacinthe Aerodrome is an example of general aviation diversity driven by private management. Almost all airplanes on floats land on its man-made water b ...

is located west of the city.

Education

The

South Shore Protestant Regional School Board The South Shore Protestant Regional School Board (SSPRSB) was a Protestant Christian school district in Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It served the South Shore region and it was headquartered in St. Lambert. The district operated elementary a ...

previously served the municipality. In association with the Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe is home to the only veterinary medicine faculty of Quebec and the only such school in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

where teaching is provided in French.

Sports

From 1989 to 1996 the city had a team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League known as the

Saint-Hyacinthe Laser The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1989 to 1996. They played their home games at Stade L.P. Gaucher in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. History The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser were born ...

. From 2001 to 2009 the city was represented in the ''

Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey The Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH, ''"North American Hockey League"'') is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in the Canadian province of Quebec. Teams in the LNAH compete for the Vertdure Cup. History The league was fou ...

'' (known as the Quebec Semi-Pro Hockey League (QSPHL) until 2004) by the Saint-Hyacinthe Cousin (200105), Saint-Hyacinthe Cristal (200506), Saint-Hyacinthe Top Design (200608) and

Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs The Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs was a semi-pro ice hockey team based in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, which is now defunct. The team was part of the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH). The Chiefs played at the Stade L.P. Gaucher. The team started in ...

(200809). The city's main hockey arena is the historic

Stade L.P. Gaucher The Stade L.P. Gaucher is a multi-purpose arena in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. It has a capacity of 2,048 and was built in 1937. It was home to the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1989 to 1996. The arena hosted team ...

, which was built in 1937.

Notable people

The following individuals were born or grew up in the region of Saint-Hyacinthe: * Paul Arcand, host and journalist *

François Avard François Avard (born 6 June 1968) is a Canadian writer and scenarist best known as the writer of the Québécois television series ''Les Bougon''. He is the creator and co-author (with Jean-Francois Mercier) of the satirical series Les Bougon. ...

, author and screenwriter known for the television series '' Les Bougon'' * Télesphore-Damien Bouchard (1881–1962), Quebec politician * Robert Bédard, professional tennis player, President of Tennis Québec, Vice-President of Tennis Canada, teacher ( Bishop's College School), teacher and headmaster (

St. Andrew's College, Aurora St. Andrew's College (SAC) is an independent boarding and day school founded in 1899 and located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is a university-preparatory school for boys in grades 5 to 12, with a focus on academic achievement, athletics, and ...

) *

Michel-Esdras Bernier Michel Esdras Bernier, (September 28, 1841 – July 27, 1921) was a Canadian politician. Born in St-Hyacinthe, Canada East, he was a notary and businessman before being elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of St. Hy ...

, Former

Minister of Inland Revenue The Minister of Inland Revenue is the political office of Minister for the department of Inland Revenue which is responsible for the collection of taxes. "Minister of Inland Revenue" is a title held by politicians in different countries. the offi ...

* Colonel (Ret.)

Jean Berthiaume Joseph André Horace Jean Berthiaume, OBE, CD (November 27, 1915 – January 26, 2003) was a Canadian Army officer who served with the Régiment de St-Hyacinthe, the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps and the Royal 22e Régiment. Early educati ...

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, CD, infantry officer of the Régiment de St-Hyacinthe and of the Royal 22^e Régiment - 1915-2003 *

Martin Brodeur Martin Pierre Brodeur (; born May 6, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current team executive. He played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with whom ...

, National Hockey League (NHL) hockey player,

goalie In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting ...

for the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

Geneviève Brouillette Geneviève Brouillette (born August 23, 1969 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec) is a French Canadian television and film actress from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. Since 1998 she has gradually appeared in film and she appeared in ''A Sunday in Kigali'' in ...

, actress *

Anthony Chabot Anthony Chabot (August 13, 1813 – January 6, 1888) was a nineteenth-century businessman and entrepreneur, notable for his contribution to developing hydraulic mining and for building water systems, especially in the Bay Area, so much that he ...

(1813-1888), businessman and entrepreneur know for his development of

water systems A water supply network or water supply system is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components that provide water supply. A water supply system typically includes the following: # A drainage basin (see water purification – source ...

and hydraulic mines, especially in

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

. *

Gérard Côté Gérard Côté, (July 26, 1913 – 12 June 1993) was a Canadian marathon runner and a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon. Born in Saint-Barnabé-Sud, Quebec, Côté was training to be a boxer when he switched to running marathons. He co ...

marathon runner The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road running, road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also w ...

Sébastien Demers Sébastien Demers (born 24 December 1979) is a Canadian former professional boxer who competed from 2004 to 2013 and challenged for the IBF middleweight title in 2007. Professional career Demers is a former Canadian and IBF International middle ...

, boxer *

Henriette Dessaulles Henriette Dessaulles (February 6, 1860 – November 17, 1946), also known by the pen name Fadette, was a Canadians, Canadian journalist and diarist from Quebec.Gérald Fauteux (1900–1980), former Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; french: Cour suprême du Canada, CSC) is the Supreme court, highest court in the Court system of Canada, judicial system of Canada. It comprises List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, nine justices, wh ...

Willie Lamothe Willie Lamothe was the stage name of Joachim Guillaume Lamothe (January 27, 1920 – October 19, 1992), a Canadian musician and actor from Quebec.

(1920–1992), singer and actor * Sir François Langelier (1838–1915), politician * Ricardo Larrivée, cooking show host *

Pierre Lassonde Pierre Lassonde (born 1947) is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. Early life Pierre Lassonde was born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, the third of four children. He studied at the Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe and graduated in 1967 wit ...

, businessperson and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

Yvan Loubier Yvan Loubier (born April 10, 1959 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian politician and one of the founders of the Bloc Québécois. He was a Bloc Québécois member of the House of Commons of Canada representing the district of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bag ...

, politician *

Victor Morin Victor Morin (August 15, 1865 – September 30, 1960) was a Canadian notary, politician, and writer. Born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada East, Morin studied at the Université Laval de Montréal. In 1890, he started working as a notary in his unc ...

, notary, politician, and writer *

Hyacinthe-Marie Simon, dit Delorme Hyacinthe-Marie Simon dit Delorme (August 15, 1777 – March 13, 1814) was a seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada. He represented Richelieu in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1808 to 1814. His name also appears as Hyaci ...

, (1777–1814) son of Jacques-Hyacinthe Simon dit Delorme, the original owner of the seigneurie *

Mario Pouliot Mario Pouliot (born September 30, 1963) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and general manager. He began coaching in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) as an assistant coach with the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser. He later coached the Col ...

, former head hockey coach for

LHJMQ The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The ...

Gallery

File:QC StHyacinthe1 tango7174.jpg,

File:St-Hyacinthe Marché-Centre 2005 cropped.jpg, St. Hyacinthe's public market File:Saint-hyacinthe-dusk.jpg, The

File:Centre-Ville de Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.jpg, Downtown Saint-Hyacinthe during a blizzard File:Cegep de Saint-Hyacinthe 2006.JPG,

Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe is a CEGEP (College of General and Vocational Education) located at 3000 Boullé Street, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. More than 4500 students attend the CEGEP to study in one of five pre-university general studies pro ...

File:Château Maska 2007 - Saint-Hyacinthe.jpg, Château Maska File:Siège Social ING (vue arrière) - Saint-Hyacinthe 2007.jpg,

building File:St-Hyacinthe Edifice Journal Le Courrier.JPG, Le Courrier building File:Hotel-de-ville-hiver2008.jpg, City Hall in winter 2008 File:QC StHyacinthe3 tango7174.jpg, Former Post Office (1892), National Historic Site of Canada File:QC StHyacinthe4 tango7174.jpg, Former Customs House (1903) File:Chapelle du Seminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe.jpg, Interior of the Chapel of the Seminaire

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities and towns in Quebec Incorporated places in Les Maskoutains Regional County Municipality