Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain, Quebec

Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain is a municipality of 516 people in the Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality, in Quebec, Canada. It is the smallest municipality in terms of population in the regional county.

Before September 4, 2010, it was known simply as Saint-Prosper, on that date, the municipality of the parish of Saint-Prosper became the municipality of Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain.

History


Around the Natal Church Bell Tower, historical notes on the parish of Saint-Prosper

« ... Et cependant que de progrès déjà accomplis au milieu de vous, non-seulement sous le rapport religieux; mais encore pour la vie matérielle ! Au dire de connaisseurs, vous êtes de tout mon diocèse les plus avancés en agriculture et en industrie laitière. Vos champs se couvrent d'abondantes moissons, malgré les intempéries des saisons et quelquefois les oppositions persistantes du sol; vos troupeaux ravissent les prix aux expositions; et vos produits laitiers, exportés par des vôtres sur les marchés étrangers, en rapportent de notables bénéfices. Aussi l'aisance est générale à Saint- Prosper, et c'est à peine si on y trouve assez de nécessiteux, pour sauvegarder la parole de Notre-Seigneur; Pauperes enim semper habetis vobis (Jean-12-8) »

— F-X. Ev : des Trois-Rivières. Evêché des Trois- Rivières, 21 novembre 1908. The area opened up for colonization in the middle of the 19th century, and in 1850 the Parish of Saint-Prosper was established out of the territories of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan and Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade. It was named after Prosper of Aquitaine possibly by Bishop Joseph Signay who wanted to emphasize the "prosperity" of the first settlers, who were poor but brave. In 1853, its post office opened, and two years later, the Parish Municipality of Saint-Prosper was formed, with Augustin Massicotte as first mayor.

In 1861, Saint-Prosper had 1028 inhabitants, and at the start of 1900, there were nearly 1500 persons.

On December 31, 2001, it was transferred from the Francheville Regional County to the new Les Chenaux Regional County, following the creation of the new City of Trois-Rivières and the dissolution of the Francheville RCM.

Photos
Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain

Demographics
Population trend:
 * Population in 2021: 482 (2016 to 2021 population change: -9.1%)
 * Population in 2016: 530
 * Population in 2011: 505
 * Population in 2006: 541
 * Population in 2001: 531
 * Population in 1996: 548
 * Population in 1991: 584
 * Population in 1986: 628
 * Population in 1981: 663
 * Population in 1976: 797
 * Population in 1971: 886
 * Population in 1966: 999
 * Population in 1961: 1,129
 * Population in 1956: 1,230
 * Population in 1951: 1,172
 * Population in 1941: 1,133
 * Population in 1931: 1,167
 * Population in 1921: 1,187
 * Population in 1911: 1,316
 * Population in 1901: 1,334
 * Population in 1891: 1,358
 * Population in 1881: 1,382
 * Population in 1871: 1,147
 * Population in 1861: 1,028

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 244 (total dwellings: 264)

Mother tongue:
 * English as first language: 0%
 * French as first language: 99%
 * English and French as first language: 0%
 * Other as first language: 0%