Saint-Gabriel, Quebec

Saint-Gabriel is a town in the Lanaudière region of Quebec, Canada, part of the D'Autray Regional County Municipality. It is located on the shores of Lake Maskinongé, in the shadows of the Laurentian Mountains.

History
The first settlers were Loyalists, Irish, and Scottish, arriving around 1825 to the shores of Lake Maskinongé, where they formed a community that was known as Lake Maskinongé Settlement by 1827, and later as the Mission of Lac-Maskinongé. In 1837, the name Saint-Gabriel-du-Lac-Maskinongé came in use but was changed to Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon in 1840. This name refers to the angel Gabriel and the geographic township of Brandon that was proclaimed in 1827 and in which it is located.

In 1851, the Parish of Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon was founded and the post office opened that same year. In 1855, the Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon Parish Municipality was established and the town of Saint-Gabriel remained part of this parish municipality until 1892, when it separated and became the Village Municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon. In 1967, it changed its status and name to Ville de Saint-Gabriel by then Mayor Yvan Comeau.

Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saint-Gabriel had a population of $2,803$ living in $1,366$ of its $1,502$ total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of $2,640$. With a land area of 2.81 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Population trend:
 * Population in 2021: 2,803 (2016 to 2021 population change: 6.2%)
 * Population in 2016: 2,640
 * Population in 2011: 2,844
 * Population in 2006: 2,828
 * Population in 2001: 2,775
 * Population in 1996: 2,862
 * Population in 1991: 2,710
 * Population in 1986: 2,929
 * Population in 1981: 3,161
 * Population in 1976: 3,271
 * Population in 1971: 3,383
 * Population in 1966: 3,464
 * Population in 1961: 3,425
 * Population in 1956: 3,265
 * Population in 1951: 2,661
 * Population in 1941: 1,632
 * Population in 1931: 1,530
 * Population in 1921: 1,667
 * Population in 1911: 1,602
 * Population in 1901: 1,199

Mother tongue:
 * English as first language: 1.5%
 * French as first language: 94.7%
 * English and French as first language: 0.9%
 * Other as first language: 2.7%

Education
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates anglophone public schools, including:
 * Joliette Elementary School in Saint-Charles-Borromée
 * Joliette High School in Joliette