Nestled in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson is a city that offers a unique blend of history and natural beauty. Part of the Les Pays-d'en-Haut Regional County Municipality, the city is partially named after and situated on the western shore of Lake Masson.
The history of Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson dates back to the early 1860s. Édouard Masson, a businessman and member of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada, collaborated with architect and politician Thony Ciallella to plan the village. They invited settlers to move to the former Terrebonne Seigneury and the surrounding area.
In 1864, Masson was granted land in this area, leading to the rapid development of the parish. He contributed to the construction of a sawmill and a flour mill at the outflow of the lake, which was later named after him. The same year, the Mission of Sainte-Marguerite was established, and the Parish Municipality of Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson was officially formed, both named after Margaret of Antioch of the third century.
In 1914, Emile Cochand began developing Canada's first ski resort two miles from Ste. Marguerite Station and the "petit train du nord line". In 1959, the Town of Estérel was formed on the eastern side of Lake Masson when it separated from Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson. However, in 2001, the two towns merged to become the Town of Sainte-Marguerite–Estérel. After a municipal referendum in 2006, the Town of Estérel was re-established, and the Town of Sainte-Marguerite–Estérel reverted to its former name of Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson had a population of 3,367 living in 1,689 of its 2,365 total private dwellings. This was a change of 21.9% from its 2016 population of 2,763. With a land area of 91.56 km2 (35.35 sq mi), it had a population density of 36.8/km2 (95.2/sq mi) in 2021.
The population trend over the years has been as follows:
As for the mother tongue of the residents:
Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, Quebec, with its rich history and natural beauty, is a city that offers a unique experience for both residents and visitors alike.
