Lamèque, a former town in Gloucester County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a place of rich history and natural beauty. Although it held town status prior to 2023, it is now part of the town of Île-de-Lamèque. The name "Lamèque" is of Amerindian origin, derived from the Micmac Elmugwadasik, which refers to "the head of the tidal river is turned to one side". This name was approved by the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names in 1974, replacing the earlier name, Shippegan.
Lamèque is a Francophone community located on Lamèque Island, off the northeastern tip of the Acadian Peninsula. Since 1975, the town has been hosting an annual baroque music festival every summer, attracting music lovers from all over. On 1 January 2023, Lamèque amalgamated with the village of Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphaël and annexed the local service districts, forming the new town of Île-de-Lamèque. Despite this change, the name Lamèque continues to be used officially as a community.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lamèque had a population of 1,301 living in 577 of its 606 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 1,285. With a land area of 12.4 km2 (4.8 sq mi), the population density of Lamèque was 104.9/km2 (271.7/sq mi) in 2021.
As a Francophone community, the primary language spoken in Lamèque is French. However, English is also widely understood and spoken by a portion of the population.
One of the main attractions in Lamèque is the Lamèque Eco-Parc, which offers a variety of flora and fauna representative of the Acadian Peninsula. This park is a must-visit for nature enthusiasts and those interested in exploring the natural beauty of New Brunswick.
