Low, Quebec, is a charming township municipality nestled in the La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality of western Quebec, Canada. This picturesque locale is situated along the Gatineau River, north of Wakefield, and is a proud part of Canada's National Capital Region. As of 2021, Low is home to a close-knit community of 1,020 residents.
The township owes its name to Charles Adamson Low, a lumber merchant who held timber rights in the Gatineau Valley. Low, Quebec, is also known for Tucker Lake, a section of the township that hosted the Gatineau Clog, a country music festival founded by Wayne Rostad from 1980 until 1995. The current mayor of Low is Carole Robert, who was elected in November 2017.
Low, Quebec, is beautifully situated in a corner of mountainous terrain on the edge of the Gatineau Hills. Despite its rugged surroundings, the area is conducive to agriculture. The township is dotted with an abundance of lakes, including Sainte-Marie, Island, Doyle, Cameron, and Venosta Lakes.
In addition to the village of Low itself, the township municipality encompasses several other communities. These include Brennan's Hill, Fieldville, Martindale, North Low, Paugan Falls, Stagsburn, and Venosta.
Low, Quebec, represents a unique case where the township was formed after the municipality. The township dates back to 1859, whereas the municipality was founded in 1848. The municipality township was officially established on 1 January 1857 and came into force on 1 January 1858.
The township was named after Charles Adamson Low, a significant timber merchant of the region in the mid-19th century. This was a time when many Irish immigrants settled in the area. The post office was established in 1854.
In 1928, the village of Low built the Paugan hydroelectric dam. This development led to the voluntary flooding of the village to the north, Lac Saint Marie, Quebec. As a result of the dam, 90% of the village of Lac Saint Marie had to be relocated to higher ground.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Low had a population of 1,020 living in 495 of its 864 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 3.9% from its 2016 population of 982. With a land area of 257.78 km2 (99.53 sq mi), it had a population density of 4.0/km2 (10.2/sq mi) in 2021.
The mother tongue distribution in 2021 was as follows:
The Paugan Station (Centrale de Paugan), built in 1928, is a run-of-river hydroelectric power station and dam on the Gatineau river. Operated by Hydro-Québec, it has a head of 40.5 m (133 ft), and 8 turbines with a total capacity of 202 MW. Its reservoir is 30 km2 (12 sq mi).
