Quebec City

Main article: Quebec

Further information: List of cities in Canada by population

Quebec City (French: Ville de Québec) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. It is an important city in Canada.

Explorer Samuel de Champlain started a French settlement here in 1608, making Quebec City one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The city has warm summers and cold, snowy winters. One of its most famous features is the ramparts around Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec). In 1985, this area became a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Name and usage

Further information: Name of Quebec City and Quebec § Etymology

In English, people say "Quebec City" to tell it apart from the whole province of Quebec. The city's name in French and Canadian English is "Québec", with a special letter é. But when talking about the province, people often write "Quebec" without the é.

In French, the city is Québec and the province is le Québec. You might hear "in Quebec City" said as à Québec and "in the province of Quebec" as au Québec.

Long ago, the Algonquian people called this place Kébec. This name means "where the river narrows". It is because the Saint Lawrence River gets narrower near the promontory of Quebec and Cape Diamant.

History

See also: History of Quebec City and Timeline of Quebec City history

French regime (1500s–1763)

Quebec City is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. It is the only fortified city north of Mexico with walls that are still there. It has the earliest known French settlement in North America, Fort Charlesbourg-Royal, made in 1541 by explorer Jacques Cartier. The fort was left after less than a year.

Quebec was started by Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer, on 3 July 1608. Champlain led the city for the rest of his life. The name "Canada" began here. Quebec grew slowly, with only 550 people living there in 1665.

Quebec was attacked a few times during wars but defended itself until it was taken by the British in 1759. France gave the city to Britain in 1763.

British and Canadian rule (1763–present)

During a big war between the United States and Britain, American soldiers tried to take Quebec but failed. Building of the Citadelle of Quebec started in 1820 because people were worried about more attacks.

Quebec was once the biggest city in what is now Canada but later Montreal became bigger. The city had a strong economy in the 1800s because of its location on the Saint Lawrence River, but it later declined.

Two important meetings happened in Quebec City during World War II. Leaders from several countries planned events, including parts of the plans for D-Day.

Geography

Quebec City is built along the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River. Old Quebec sits on top and at the foot of Cap-Diamant. North of the hill, the Saint Lawrence Lowlands are flat with rich soil. Beyond this valley, the Laurentian Mountains are north of the city.

The Plains of Abraham are on the southeastern edge of the plateau. At the northern foot of the promontory are the lower town neighborhoods of Saint-Roch and Saint-Sauveur. These areas are separated from the upper town neighborhoods by a wooded area.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Quebec City

Quebec City has four distinct seasons. Summers are warm, and winters are cold and snowy. Spring and fall are short but can be chilly or warm. The city gets about 1,190 millimetres of precipitation each year, mostly rain. Snow usually stays on the ground from late November until mid-April.

Boroughs and neighbourhoods

On 1 January 2002, Quebec City merged with 12 nearby towns, including Sainte-Foy, Beauport, Charlesbourg, and others. After a vote, two areas became separate again in 2006. On 1 November 2009, the city reorganized its areas.

Quebec City's six boroughs are divided into 35 neighborhoods. Each neighborhood elects its own council.

Some areas, like Sillery, Cap-Rouge, and Sainte-Foy, are among the wealthiest parts of the city. Northern and eastern parts of the city are mostly middle-class neighborhoods with some industrial areas.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census, Québec had 549,459 people living in 265,711 homes. It covers 452.3 km² and had a population density of 1,214.8/km² in 2021.

According to Statistics Canada, 839,311 people lived in the Quebec City area.

Ethnicity

In 2021, 9.4% of Quebec City residents were from a visible minority group. The largest group were Black Canadians, making up 4.1% of the population. Quebec City had fewer Indigenous Canadians (1.8%) than the national average.

Language

Most people in Quebec City speak French. Native English speakers make up about 1.5% of the population. During tourist season and the Quebec Winter Carnival, many visitors come, and English is often heard in tourist areas.

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Quebec City included:

• Christianity (65.5%)
• Irreligion (30.5%)
• Islam (3.3%)
• Buddhism (0.3%)
• Hinduism (0.1%)
• Judaism (0.1%)
• Indigenous Spirituality ()

Most jobs in Quebec City are in public administration, defence, services, commerce, transport and tourism. The provincial government is the largest employer, with 27,900 people as of 2007. CHUQ (the local hospital network) is the city's largest institutional employer, with over 10,000 employees in 2007.

Around 10% of jobs are in manufacturing. Main products include pulp and paper, processed food, metal and wood items, chemicals, electronics, and printed materials. The city is home to many companies, including: La Maison Simons, BPR, Norda Stelo, Cominar, Beneva, Industrial Alliance, Beenox, Gearbox Software, Frima Studio, Sarbakan, Ubisoft, and Institut National d'Optique (INO).

While many offices are on Parliament Hill and in Saint-Roch, a newer business area has grown in Boulevard Laurier in Sainte-Foy. Other areas like Lebourgneuf and Estimauville Street are also developing.

Canada Census Mother Tongue – Quebec City, Quebec

Census Year	Total Responses	French			English			French & English			Other
		Count	Trend	Pop. %	Count	Trend	Pop. %	Count	Trend	Pop. %	Count	Trend	Pop. %
2021	542,435	491,515	1.6%	90.6%	7,685	3.9%	1.4%	4,530	73.2%	0.8%	33,255	26.1%	6.1%
2016	523,560	483,790	1.1%	92.4%	7,395	0.0%	1.4%	2,615	13.0%	0.5%	26,370	33.3%	5.0%
2011	516,622	478,395	4.6%	92.6%	7,370	4.6%	1.4%	2,315	36.9%	0.5%	19,790	9.9%	3.8%
2006	491,142	456,225	1.8%	92.9%	7,030	2.8%	1.4%	1,460	38.4%	0.3%	17,825	35.3%	3.6%
2001	471,962	447,840	0.4%	94.9%	6,830	21.6%	1.5%	2,020	3.2%	0.4%	11,535	14.8%	2.4%
1996	467,455	446,194	n/a	95.5%	8,309	n/a	1.8%	1,955	n/a	0.4%	9,830	n/a	2.1%

Arts and culture

Quebec City is famous for its Winter Carnival, a big celebration in the snow. The city also has a summer music festival and fun Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day events.

The city has many places to visit, such as the Citadelle of Quebec, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Ursulines of Quebec, and Musée de la civilisation.

There is also the Parc Aquarium du Québec, which opened again in 2002. It shows many animals like fish, mammals, and reptiles from North America and the Arctic. Some special animals there are polar bears and different kinds of seals.

Other popular spots near Quebec City include Montmorency Falls, the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, the Mont-Sainte-Anne ski resort, and the Ice Hotel.

See also: List of events in Quebec City and Media in Quebec City

Attractions

Quebec City is famous for its beautiful and historic sites. Because of its strong position and the la Citadelle on top, writer Charles Dickens called it the "Gibraltar of North America".

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Quebec City

Many of Quebec City's old buildings are in Vieux-Québec (Old Quebec). Here you can see old stone buildings and narrow streets with shops and restaurants. This area feels like Europe. There are gates like Porte Saint-Louis and Porte Saint-Jean to enter the old town from the newer part of the city. West of the old walls is Parliament Hill, and to the south are the Plains of Abraham.

You can walk up using stairs like the Escalier « casse-cou » ("breakneck stairway") or take the Old Quebec Funicular on Rue du Petit-Champlain, where there are many small shops. Place Royale is a small square with old stone buildings. It is where explorer Champlain started the city in 1608. Nearby is the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church and the Musée de la Civilisation.

The city's skyline has modern buildings like Édifice Marie-Guyart and Le Concorde, but the most famous is the big Château Frontenac hotel. It was built to attract rich visitors to travel by train with the Canadian Pacific Railway. Next to the hotel is the Terrasse Dufferin, a walkway along the cliff with great views of the Saint Lawrence River. This area leads to the Plains of Abraham and to the Citadelle of Quebec, which is used by the military.

Parks

One famous park is The Battlefields Park. From here you can see the river and there are statues and old structures. This is where battles happened long ago.

Other nice parks include Parc Victoria, Parc Maizerets, and Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site. The biggest park is Parc Chauveau, where you can go canoeing, fish, or cross-country skiing depending on the season. There is also a beach at Beauport Bay and a marsh area called Marais du Nord.

Quebec City also has special garden areas like the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain, which is a long path along the river, and places with beautiful plants and trees such as Government House (Quebec) and the Domaine de Maizerets.

Sports

Quebec City has hosted many fun sports events. It was considered for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The city has held games like the Special Olympics Canada National Winter Games in 2008, the World Police and Fire Games in 2005, and the FINA World Junior Artistic Swimming Championships in 2022. It co-hosted the 2008 IIHF World Championship with Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Today, Quebec City has a professional baseball team called the Capitales de Québec. They play downtown at Stade Canac and have won many titles since 1999. The city has teams in other sports, like hockey, basketball, and soccer. The Videotron Centre is a big arena built to attract more hockey teams. Quebec City also hosts the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup, a top ski event.

Government

Since the 1960s, centre-right parties such as Union Nationale, Crédit social, Conservative Party of Canada, Action démocratique du Québec, and Coalition Avenir Québec have been more popular in the Quebec City region than in other parts of the province. This has made some people curious about why Quebec City seems different politically.

Quebec City is run by a mayor and a council. The council has 21 members, each elected from their own area. The mayor is elected by everyone in the city. Both the mayor and councilors are usually part of political parties and are elected every 4 years.

The city has six boroughs, each with its own small council. These borough councils take care of local things like roads and waste collection. The city is also divided into 35 neighbourhoods, each with its own group of people who help make decisions.

Transport

Quebec City has several ways to get around. Two big bridges, the Quebec Bridge and Pierre Laporte Bridge, along with a ferry, connect the city to Lévis and other areas on the other side of the Saint Lawrence River. The Orleans Island Bridge links the city to a nearby island.

The city is an important spot for highways, with many roads connecting it to places like Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and other towns.

Public transport in Quebec City is managed by the Réseau de transport de la Capitale. They run buses and are thinking about adding trams to help more people travel around. Trains also stop at Gare du Palais, and there is a bus station nearby.

The city has an airport called Jean Lesage International Airport and a port called the Port of Quebec.

Education

Quebec City has many important schools and universities. The Université Laval is in the southwestern part of the city, mostly in the Sainte-Foy area. It has its school of architecture in the historic "Vieux-Séminaire" building.

The Université du Québec system has its main offices and some special schools in the Saint-Roch neighbourhood. These include the École nationale d'administration publique, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, and Télé-université.

The city also has several colleges such as Collège François-Xavier-Garneau, Cégep Limoilou, Cégep de Sainte-Foy, and Champlain College St. Lawrence. There are also private schools like Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy, Collège Mérici, Collège Bart, Collège CDI, Collège O'Sullivan, and Collège Multihexa.

There are three school boards that manage the schools. The Commission scolaire de la Capitale looks after French-speaking schools, and the Central Quebec School Board looks after English-speaking schools. Quebec City is home to the oldest school for girls in North America, run by the Ursulines of Quebec. It is now a private elementary school.

Sister cities

Quebec City has special friendly connections, called "twinned" cities, with places far away. One of these is Bordeaux in France. Another is Calgary in Alberta.

There used to be agreements with more cities, but they are not active anymore. These were with Saint Petersburg in Russia, Guanajuato City in Mexico, Huế in Vietnam, Paris in France, Xi'an in China, and two cities in Belgium: Liège and Namur.

Notable people

Main category: People from Quebec City

For a more comprehensive list, see List of people from Quebec City.