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Bécancour, Quebec
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p class="note">See also: <a href="/facts/Municipal_history_of_Quebec/X53r8pW4">Municipal history of Quebec</a></p> <p>Constituent municipalities of Bécancour included:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <ul><li>La Nativité de Notre-Dame-de-Bécancour (1722)</li> <li>Saint-Édouard-de-Gentilly (1784)</li> <li>Saint-Grégoire-le-Grand (1802)</li> <li>Sainte-Gertrude (1845)</li> <li>Sainte-Angèle-de-Laval (1868)</li> <li>Très-Précieux-Sang-de-Notre-Seigneur (1903)</li></ul> <p>And the villages of: </p> <ul><li>Larochelle (1863)</li> <li>Gentilly (1900)</li> <li>Villers (1901)</li> <li><a href="/facts/B%25C3%25A9cancour_et_Laval/JtfUwPv3">Bécancour et Laval</a> (1909)</li></ul> <p>The town of Bécancour was created October 17, 1965, from an amalgamation of eleven municipalities. Bécancour was one of the province of Quebec's first <a href="/facts/Municipal_history_of_Quebec/X53r8pW4">amalgamated cities</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>A <a href="/facts/Nuclear_power_plant/IJj5pJUn">nuclear power plant</a>, <a href="/facts/Gentilly_Nuclear_Generating_Station/GVR955sK">Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station</a>, was commissioned in 1983 in the Gentilly sector; it was decommissioned in 2012.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h3>Emblems and symbols</h3> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Floral_emblem/GD6ktp6F">Floral emblem</a>: <a href="/facts/Lilac/fomYDFSD">Lilac</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Bird/RJF6zwLP">Bird</a>: <a href="/facts/Ruby-throated_hummingbird/yEGgWgRr">Ruby-throated hummingbird</a></td><td><p><a href="/facts/Slogan/XjPb45fb">Slogan</a>: <i>De nature énergique</i>("An energetic nature") </p></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="geography">Geography</h2> <h3>Communities</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/B%25C3%25A9cancour%2c_Quebec_(community)/JtfUwPv3">Bécancour</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Gentilly%2c_Quebec/8535HtEX">Gentilly</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Pr%25C3%25A9cieux-Sang%2c_Quebec/nC4GzLeu">Précieux-Sang</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Sainte-Ang%25C3%25A8le-de-Laval%2c_Quebec/XdlK6MH1">Sainte-Angèle-de-Laval</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Sainte-Gertrude%2c_Quebec/3lwGrdvn">Sainte-Gertrude</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Saint-Gr%25C3%25A9goire%2c_Quebec/1C1ruDvM">Saint-Grégoire</a></li></ul> <h2 id="demographics">Demographics</h2> <p>In the <a href="/facts/2021_Canadian_census/eswC1hxC">2021 Census of Population</a> conducted by <a href="/facts/Statistics_Canada/CxVJhh6I">Statistics Canada</a>, Bécancour had a population of 13,561 living in 6,034 of its 6,348 total private dwellings, a change of 4.1% from its 2016 population of 13,031. With a land area of 439.54 km2 (169.71 sq mi), it had a population density of 30.9/km2 (79.9/sq mi) in 2021.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="economy">Economy</h2> <p>The economy of Bécancour, once mainly agricultural, shifted towards heavy industry and <a href="/facts/Manufacturing/3qW7bcdy">manufacturing</a> in the 1970s and 1980s. An <a href="/facts/Industrial_park/B2FXvqaw">industrial park</a> was built in the area, attracting producers of <a href="/facts/Aluminium/7wmR8jYE">aluminum</a>, <a href="/facts/Magnesium/XyIhd2FG">magnesium</a>, <a href="/facts/Refractory_metals/WtGXfsVQ">refractory metals</a>, and <a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">petroleum</a> products; <a href="/facts/Machining/Yrjfj6IV">machine shops</a>; and many related services, such as <a href="/facts/Earthworks_(engineering)/V3d50xNd">excavators</a> and sales of industrial parts. </p><p>The magnesium smelter was operated by <a href="/facts/Norsk_Hydro/ApJX3Puo">Norsk Hydro</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> and closed down by 2011.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h3>Tourism</h3> <p>Despite its proximity to Trois-Rivières, Bécancour has a vibrant culture and identity of its own. The city hosts a <a href="/facts/Hot_air_balloon_festival/qDERmLzk">hot air balloon festival</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> a weekly public marketplace, a <a href="/facts/Biodiversity/GruakEzs">biodiversity</a> museum and interpretation centre, and a maritime <a href="/facts/Pumpkin/CwxGJmej">pumpkin</a> race.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="sister-cities">Sister cities</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/France/CxIeIKM3"></a> <a href="/facts/Jou%25C3%25A9-l%25C3%25A8s-Tours/H8dhFy4r">Joué-lès-Tours</a>, <a href="/facts/France/CxIeIKM3">France</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notable-people">Notable people</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Nicolas_Perrot/6s2q07f7">Nicolas Perrot</a> (1644–1717), explorer, diplomat, and fur trader.</li> <li>Blessed <a href="/facts/Louis_Zephyrinus_Moreau/SpknneU8">Louis Zephyrinus Moreau</a>, Canadian <a href="/facts/Roman_Catholic/rJ4F4gqH">Roman Catholic</a> <a href="/facts/Priest/fDMmV2wN">priest</a> and fourth <a href="/facts/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Saint-Hyacinthe/w3TH5swq">Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Denis_Villeneuve/f2ydjyBa">Denis Villeneuve</a>, filmmaker, lived in Gentilly.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Sam_Montembeault/zhNLX1aG">Sam Montembeault</a>, hockey player for the <a href="/facts/Montreal_Canadiens/tK3Td6zc">Montreal Canadiens</a></li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_cities_in_Quebec/R1khRkXj">List of cities in Quebec</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Bas-Richelieu%25E2%2580%2594Nicolet%25E2%2580%2594B%25C3%25A9cancour/dvPtzC0U">Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Gentilly_Nuclear_Generating_Station/GVR955sK">Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bécancour, Quebec. <ul><li>(in French) <a href="http://www.becancour.net/">Becancour.net: official city website</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.tourismebecancour.com/">Bécancour tourism website</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Becancour.net". Archived from the original on 2006-08-29. Retrieved 2006-08-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060829145614/http://www.becancour.net/fr/la_ville_de_becancour.asp?pageID=348" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060829145614/http://www.becancour.net/fr/la_ville_de_becancour.asp?pageID=348</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Becancour.net". Archived from the original on 2006-08-29. Retrieved 2006-08-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060829145614/http://www.becancour.net/fr/la_ville_de_becancour.asp?pageID=348" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060829145614/http://www.becancour.net/fr/la_ville_de_becancour.asp?pageID=348</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Becancour.net". Archived from the original on 2006-08-29. Retrieved 2006-08-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060829145614/http://www.becancour.net/fr/la_ville_de_becancour.asp?pageID=348" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060829145614/http://www.becancour.net/fr/la_ville_de_becancour.asp?pageID=348</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station - Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission". Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140227162101/http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/resources/my-community/becancour-trois-rivieres/index.cfm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140227162101/http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/resources/my-community/becancour-trois-rivieres/index.cfm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000224" target="_blank">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000224</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Ayres, John (2000). "Canadian Perspective on SF6 Management from Magnesium Industry" (PDF). Environment Canada. <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-02/documents/conf00_ayres_paper.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-02/documents/conf00_ayres_paper.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Creber, D.; Davis, B.; Kashani-Nejad, S. (2011). "Magnesium Metal Production in Canada". In Kapusta, Joël; Mackey, Phillip; Stubina, Nathan (eds.). The Canadian Metallurgical & Materials Landscape 1960 - 2011. Canadian Institute of Metallurgy. <a href="https://store.cim.org/en/commemorative-book-the-canadian-materials-landscape-1960-2011" target="_blank">https://store.cim.org/en/commemorative-book-the-canadian-materials-landscape-1960-2011</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Festival des Montgolieres de Bécancour". Archived from the original on 2006-08-19. Retrieved 2006-08-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060819080756/http://www.lino.com/montgolfieres/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060819080756/http://www.lino.com/montgolfieres/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Régates du Potirothon". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2006-08-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003001/http://www.becancour.net/fr/evenements.asp?pageID=332&id=497" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003001/http://www.becancour.net/fr/evenements.asp?pageID=332&id=497</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Bishop Bl. Louis-Zéphirin Moreau". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015. <a href="http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmoreau.html" target="_blank">http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmoreau.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>