Saint-Hippolyte, Quebec

Saint-Hippolyte (historically Saint-Hippolyte-de-Kilkenny) is a municipality within La Rivière-du-Nord Regional County Municipality in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, in the Laurentian mountains about 45 km north of Montreal. The name comes from Saint Hippolytus.

Part of the town was formerly known as Abercrombie-Est.

Police services are provided by the Régie intermunicipale de police de la Rivière-du-Nord, which also serves Piedmont, Prévost and some other communities in the Laurentians.

The municipality of Saint-Hippolyte's original name was Abercrombie. The name was pick to honor James Abercrombie, british commander-in-chief of forces in North America during the French and Indian War, best known for the disastrous British losses in the 1758 Battle of Carillon. The municipality changed its name to the current Saint-Hippolyte in 1951. The name was chosen to honor Hippolyte Moreau, titular canon of the Cathedral of Montreal (1854-1880) and vicar general (1873-1880). It was his responsibility to choose the location of the church in the name of Monsignor Ignace Bourget in 1864. The name is a reference to Hippolytus of Rome, one of the most important second-third century Christian theologians.

History
Saint-Hippolyte was created in 1855 under the name of Abercrombie. In 1951, the name was changed to become Saint-Hippolyte. In 2009, the status of the municipality was changed from a parish municipality to a regular municipality.

Climate
St Hippolyte has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb) with long, very cold winters, and short, mild summers. Days with temperatures below 0 C all day are very frequent from November to March, with an average 95.7 days per year. Days with maximum temperatures over 30 C are not infrequent during summer, with an average of 3.3 days per year. The highest temperature on record in St Hippolyte is 36.1 C set on 1 August 1975 and the lowest is -41.7 C set on 23 February 1972.

Precipitation is heavy throughout the year. Heavy snow is commonplace throughout the winter, with heavy rain in the summer. The highest daily rainfall on record is 101.1 mm on 1 July 1979 and the record daily snowfall is 50.8 cm on 3 February 1972, with the greatest measured snow depth being 150 cm on 9 March 2008. On average, 1 cm of snow will be lying on 154.1 days per year, with a significant accumulation of over 20 cm lying on an average of 119.1 days per year. On average, 0.2 mm of rain falls on 179.0 days per year, with 25 mm falling on 6.7 days. Days of snowfall greater than 5 cm average at 20.3 days per year with days of snowfall greater than 25 cm average 0.79 days per year. In March, the average snow depth is 72 cm.

The average frost-free period is short, averaging only 138 days per year. The last frost, on average, occurs on 15 May and the first frost of the new season occurs on 30 September.

Demographics
Population trend:
 * Population in 2021: 10,669 (2016 to 2021 population change: 17.1%)
 * Population in 2016: 9,113
 * Population in 2011: 8,083
 * Population in 2006: 7,219
 * Population in 2001: 6,039
 * Population in 1996: 5,672
 * Population in 1991: 4,697
 * Population in 1986: 3,626
 * Population in 1981: 3,597
 * Population in 1976: 2,588
 * Population in 1971: 1,799
 * Population in 1966: 1,195
 * Population in 1961: 930
 * Population in 1956: 778
 * Population in 1951: 788
 * Population in 1941: 844
 * Population in 1931: 753
 * Population in 1921: 931
 * Population in 1911: 896
 * Population in 1901: 961
 * Population in 1891: 856
 * Population in 1881: 835
 * Population in 1871: 967
 * Population in 1861: 1,099

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 4,683 (total dwellings: 5,597)

Mother tongue:
 * French as first language: 92.5%
 * English as first language: 3.6%
 * English and French as first language: 1.3%
 * Other as first language: 2.4%



Education
The Commission scolaire de la Rivière-du-Nord operates French-language public schools.
 * École primaire des Hauteurs
 * The primary school École des Hautbois in Saint-Colomban, Jean-Moreau in Sainte-Sophie and Sacré-Coeur in Saint-Jérôme serve sections
 * École secondaire Cap-Jeunesse and École secondaire des Hauts-Sommets in Saint-Jérôme

Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates English-language public schools. Schools serving the town:
 * Morin Heights Elementary School in Morin-Heights serves a portion of the town
 * Laurentia Elementary School in Saint-Jérôme serves a portion of the town
 * Ste-Adèle Elementary School in Saint-Adèle serves a portion of the town
 * Laurentian Regional High School in Lachute

Notable people

 * Jacques Hétu - composer and music educator
 * Alexander Julien - musician, member of Vision Eternel
 * Fernand Leblanc - politician
 * Monique Pariseau - writer
 * Madeleine Sherwood - actress
 * Bruno Spengler - racing driver
 * Yannick Veilleux - professional ice hockey player