Témiscaming
title: "Témiscaming" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-established-in-1917", "cities-and-towns-in-quebec", "incorporated-places-in-abitibi-témiscamingue", "témiscamingue-regional-county-municipality", "populated-places-on-the-ottawa-river"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Témiscaming" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Témiscaming |
| settlement_type | City |
| image_skyline | Temiscaming Quebec.JPG |
| image_caption | The mill on the Ottawa River at Témiscaming |
| flag_size | 120x100px |
| shield_size | 100x80px |
| motto | Vive la Forêt ("Long Live the Forest") |
| image_map | Témiscaming Quebec location diagram.png |
| map_caption | Location within Témiscamingue RCM |
| pushpin_map | Canada Western Quebec |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in western Quebec |
| coordinates | |
| coordinates_footnotes | |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Canada |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | Quebec |
| subdivision_type2 | Region |
| subdivision_name2 | Abitibi-Témiscamingue |
| subdivision_type3 | RCM |
| subdivision_name3 | Témiscamingue |
| established_title | Settled |
| established_date | 1880 |
| established_title1 | Constituted |
| established_date1 | March 26, 1988 |
| government_footnotes | |
| leader_title | Mayor |
| leader_name | Alain Gauthier |
| leader_title1 | Federal riding |
| leader_name1 | Abitibi—Témiscamingue |
| leader_title2 | Prov. riding |
| leader_name2 | Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue |
| area_footnotes | |
| area_total_km2 | 862.89 |
| area_land_km2 | 710.84 |
| elevation_m | 240 |
| population_footnotes | |
| population_total | 2368 |
| population_as_of | 2021 |
| population_density_km2 | 3.3 |
| population_blank1_title | Pop (2016–21) |
| population_blank1 | 2.6% |
| population_blank2_title | Dwellings |
| population_blank2 | 1407 |
| timezone | EST |
| utc_offset | −5 |
| timezone_DST | EDT |
| utc_offset_DST | −4 |
| postal_code_type | Postal code(s) |
| postal_code | J0Z 3R0 |
| area_code | 819 |
| blank_name | Highways |
| blank_info | |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = Témiscaming | native_name = | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = Temiscaming Quebec.JPG | imagesize = | image_caption = The mill on the Ottawa River at Témiscaming | image_flag = | flag_size = 120x100px | image_shield = | shield_size = 100x80px | nickname = | motto = Vive la Forêt ("Long Live the Forest") | image_map = Témiscaming Quebec location diagram.png | mapsize = | map_caption = Location within Témiscamingue RCM | pushpin_map = Canada Western Quebec | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_label = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in western Quebec | coordinates = | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes= | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Canada | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Quebec | subdivision_type2 = Region | subdivision_name2 = Abitibi-Témiscamingue | subdivision_type3 = RCM | subdivision_name3 = Témiscamingue | established_title = Settled | established_date = 1880 | established_title1 = Constituted | established_date1 = March 26, 1988 | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Alain Gauthier | leader_title1 = Federal riding | leader_name1 = Abitibi—Témiscamingue | leader_title2 = Prov. riding | leader_name2 = Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 862.89 | area_land_km2 = 710.84 | area_water_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 240 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 2368 | population_as_of = 2021 | population_density_km2= 3.3 | population_blank1_title= Pop (2016–21) | population_blank1 = 2.6% | population_blank2_title= Dwellings | population_blank2 = 1407 | population_note = | timezone = EST | utc_offset = −5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = −4 | postal_code_type = Postal code(s) | postal_code = J0Z 3R0 | area_code = 819 | blank_name = Highways | blank_info = | website = | footnotes =
Témiscaming () is a city located at the south end of Lac Témiscamingue on the upper Ottawa River in the Témiscamingue Regional County Municipality of western Quebec, Canada. Also nearby is Lake Kipawa.
It is the administrative headquarters of the Algonquin Nation Wolf Lake First Nations band government.
History
The Ottawa River had long been used by Indigenous peoples, colonial explorers, coureurs des bois, and missionaries as transportation route through the region. Some of the notable travellers passing by Témiscaming were Radisson and des Groseilliers, Saint-Lusson, Charles le Moyne and Pierre Le Moyne, and Chevalier de Troyes. A small chapel had existed there for the trappers and fur traders en route to Ottawa.
The area began to be developed circa 1850 when forestry companies began logging the land. Some of these logging crews had brought their families, and together with some pioneer families, they had formed a settlement of about 13 families by 1880. It was originally called "Long Sault", taken from the name of the rapids on the Ottawa River at this place. From 1884 on, Long Sault became an important stopover for colonists travelling upstream to Lake Timiskaming, leading to the construction of a hotel, wharves, stores, and a railroad to Mattawa. On August 12, 1886, the first train arrived at Long Sault, also called Gordon's Creek by then.
In 1888, the Municipality of Témiscaming was officially incorporated. Its name, also spelled Témiskaming, was taken from Lake Timiskaming and in turn came from the Algonquin tim ("deep"), and kami ("open water"). In the fall of that same year, Alex Lumsden built a sawmill on Gordon Creek and the settlement came to be known as Lumsden's Mill. Around 1909 work began on the dam across the Ottawa River.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Kipawa_Co_Ltd_Mill_1919.jpg" caption="Construction of Kipawa Co. Ltd. mill, 1919"] ::
The place experienced major growth when the Riordon Pulp and Paper Company built the Kipawa Mills pulp and paper mill there in 1918. It bought the Lumsden Mill as well as all the property in Long Sault. For all the construction workers and mill employees, a new town was built, designed according to a Garden City plan by Scottish architect Thomas Adams.
In 1920, Témiscaming gained town status under the name "Kipawa" but the name was replaced by the original name the following year. On paper, there was a municipal council, but in reality, Témiscaming was a company town. The Canadian International Paper Company, that had bought out the Riordon Company in 1925, had total control by owning every property, appointing the mayor and council members, and even applying the law. No municipal elections were held for 35 years.
On November 1, 1935, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake had its epicentre approximately 10 km northeast of Témiscaming. In 1936, the road between North Bay and Témiscaming was completed. In 1956, the Canadian International Paper Company declared Témiscaming as an "open town" and sold all its infrastructure. W.N. Irwin became the town's first mayor elected in a municipal election. In 1972, when the company decided to close the mill, the employees formed Tembec to take over the operation of the mill.
In 1988, the Municipality of Letang (incorporated in 1980) was merged into Témiscaming. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/TemiskamingFountain.jpg" caption="Italian fountain in downtown Temiscaming. It is one of several such features in the city erected by a former mill manager in 1930."] ::
Climate
| location = Témiscaming (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1910–present) | metric first = yes | single line = yes | Jan record high C = 14.4 | Feb record high C = 14.0 | Mar record high C = 27.3 | Apr record high C = 30.6 | May record high C = 33.9 | Jun record high C = 36.7 | Jul record high C = 40.0 | Aug record high C = 36.1 | Sep record high C = 34.4 | Oct record high C = 28.9 | Nov record high C = 22.6 | Dec record high C = 16.0 | year record high C = 40.0 | Jan high C = -6.3 | Feb high C = -4.3 | Mar high C = 1.9 | Apr high C = 9.3 | May high C = 17.8 | Jun high C = 22.9 | Jul high C = 25.5 | Aug high C = 24.1 | Sep high C = 19.4 | Oct high C = 11.6 | Nov high C = 4.0 | Dec high C = -2.6 | year high C = 10.3 | Jan mean C = -11.2 | Feb mean C = -9.8 | Mar mean C = -4.0 | Apr mean C = 3.7 | May mean C = 10.9 | Jun mean C = 16.5 | Jul mean C = 19.6 | Aug mean C = 18.7 | Sep mean C = 14.2 | Oct mean C = 7.5 | Nov mean C = 0.5 | Dec mean C = -6.5 | year mean C = 5.0 | Jan low C = -16.0 | Feb low C = -15.2 | Mar low C = -9.8 | Apr low C = -2.1 | May low C = 3.9 | Jun low C = 10.1 | Jul low C = 13.6 | Aug low C = 13.2 | Sep low C = 9.0 | Oct low C = 3.4 | Nov low C = -3.0 | Dec low C = -10.2 | year low C = -0.3 | Jan record low C = -40.0 | Feb record low C = -43.9 | Mar record low C = -36.1 | Apr record low C = -24.4 | May record low C = -8.9 | Jun record low C = -2.8 | Jul record low C = -1.1 | Aug record low C = -0.6 | Sep record low C = -5.6 | Oct record low C = -11.1 | Nov record low C = -23.3 | Dec record low C = -39.4 | year record low C = -43.9 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 62.7 | Feb precipitation mm = 47.5 | Mar precipitation mm = 64.5 | Apr precipitation mm = 65.9 | May precipitation mm = 72.8 | Jun precipitation mm = 93.0 | Jul precipitation mm = 103.4 | Aug precipitation mm = 96.8 | Sep precipitation mm = 100.0 | Oct precipitation mm = 82.0 | Nov precipitation mm = 79.3 | Dec precipitation mm = 69.0 | year precipitation mm = 937.0 | rain colour = green | Jan rain mm = 9.6 | Feb rain mm = 7.2 | Mar rain mm = 31.2 | Apr rain mm = 55.0 | May rain mm = 71.7 | Jun rain mm = 93.0 | Jul rain mm = 103.4 | Aug rain mm = 96.8 | Sep rain mm = 99.9 | Oct rain mm = 79.9 | Nov rain mm = 51.6 | Dec rain mm = 18.2 | year rain mm = 717.5 | Jan snow cm = 53.1 | Feb snow cm = 40.3 | Mar snow cm = 33.3 | Apr snow cm = 10.9 | May snow cm = 1.2 | Jun snow cm = 0.0 | Jul snow cm = 0.0 | Aug snow cm = 0.0 | Sep snow cm = 0.0 | Oct snow cm = 2.1 | Nov snow cm = 27.3 | Dec snow cm = 51.0 | year snow cm = 219.3 | unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm | Jan precipitation days = 17 | Feb precipitation days = 13 | Mar precipitation days = 14 | Apr precipitation days = 12 | May precipitation days = 13 | Jun precipitation days = 14 | Jul precipitation days = 14 | Aug precipitation days = 14 | Sep precipitation days = 15 | Oct precipitation days = 15 | Nov precipitation days = 17 | Dec precipitation days = 19 | year precipitation days = 177 | unit rain days = 0.2 mm | Jan rain days = 2 | Feb rain days = 2 | Mar rain days = 5 | Apr rain days = 10 | May rain days = 12 | Jun rain days = 14 | Jul rain days = 14 | Aug rain days = 14 | Sep rain days = 15 | Oct rain days = 15 | Nov rain days = 10 | Dec rain days = 3 | year rain days = 116 | unit snow days = 0.2 cm | Jan snow days = 16 | Feb snow days = 12 | Mar snow days = 10 | Apr snow days = 4 | May snow days = 0 | Jun snow days = 0 | Jul snow days = 0 | Aug snow days = 0 | Sep snow days = 0 | Oct snow days = 0 | Nov snow days = 9 | Dec snow days = 16 | year snow days = 68 | time day = 15:00 LST | Jan humidity = 73.7 | Feb humidity = 63.2 | Mar humidity = 53.3 | Apr humidity = 49.1 | May humidity = 48.0 | Jun humidity = 53.8 | Jul humidity = 52.6 | Aug humidity = 55.7 | Sep humidity = 60.2 | Oct humidity = 64.0 | Nov humidity = 72.4 | Dec humidity = 75.9 | year humidity = 60.2 | Jan sun = 81.9 | Feb sun = 108.3 | Mar sun = 147.2 | Apr sun = 176.1 | May sun = 255.6 | Jun sun = 207.1 | Jul sun = 250.1 | Aug sun = 226.9 | Sep sun = 141.2 | Oct sun = 100.2 | Nov sun = 59.8 | Dec sun = 65.6 | year sun = 1790.0 | source 1 = Environment and Climate Change Canada (precipitation/rain/snow 1961–1990, and sun 1951–1980){{cite web | url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=QC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=85000000&dispBack=0 | title = Témiscaming, Quebec | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 | publisher = Environment Canada | access-date = August 13, 2025}}{{cite web | url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1961_1990_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=QC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1072&dispBack=0 | title = Témiscaming, Quebec | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1961–1990 | publisher = Environment Canada | access-date = November 2, 2025}}{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250817011300/https://collaboration.cmc.ec.gc.ca/cmc/climate/1951-80Normals/En56-60-7-1982.pdf | archive-date = August 17, 2025 | url = https://collaboration.cmc.ec.gc.ca/cmc/climate/1951-80Normals/En56-60-7-1982.pdf | title = Canadian Climate Normals 1951–1980 Volume 7 Bright Sunshine | page = 6 | publisher = Environment Canada | access-date = November 2, 2025}}
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Témiscaming had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 710.84 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.
Mother tongue (according to the 2021 Canadian census):
- English as first language: 33.7%
- French as first language: 61.0%
- English and French as first language: 3.6%
- Other as first language: 1.5%
|title = Historical census populations – Témiscaming |align = none |cols = 3 |percentages = |footnote = Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes. |source = Statistics Canada |1921 |1021 |1931 |1855 |1941 |2168 |1951 |2787 |1956 |2694 |1961 |2517 |1966 |2799 |1971 |2428 |1976 |2165 |1981 |2097 |1986 |2071 |1991 |2944 |1996 |3112 |2001 |2903 |2006 |2697 |2011 |2385 |2016 |2431 |2021 |2368
|title = Historical census populations – Letang |align = none |cols = |percentages = |footnote = In 1988, Letang was dissolved and merged into Temiscaming. |source = Statistics Canada | 1976 |487 | 1981 |512 | 1986 |475
Arts and culture
In popular culture
In 2014, on the American late-night talk show Conan, Canadian comedian Norm Macdonald told a fictional story about a person, Jacques de Gatineau (previously named Jacques de Gautier, until he "grew"), who was supposed to have come from Témiscaming, Quebec. The clip is uploaded to the official Conan O'Brien's "Team Coco" channel on YouTube as "The Most Convoluted Joke Ever", where it has been seen more than 6.7 million times, as of January 2026.
Sports
From the 2007-2011, Témiscaming is the home of the Temiscaming Royals Junior "A" ice hockey team of the Ontario-based Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Since 2011, the city of Témiscaming has a team called the Temiscaming Titans, a junior ice hockey team that are members of the Greater Metro Junior Hockey League.
Government
List of former mayors:
- Philippe Barette (1993–2013)
- Nicole Rochon (2013–2017)
- Yves Ouellet (2017–2021)
- Pierre Gingras (2021–present)
Media
CKVM-FM, a community radio station based in Ville-Marie has a retransmitter in Témiscaming.
The Tem Times was the city's first newspaper (officially categorized as a country weekly) which ran from 1950 through to 1972. Produced on a Gestener by local townspeople who were members of the Temiskaming Debating Club, and subsidized by the CIP, the circulation at its height was estimated at 1,000. Gord McCulloch, who edited the paper for twenty-two years, went on to become a district editor and columnist for The North Bay Nugget.
References
References
- "Témiscaming". Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
- "Témiscaming, Ville (V) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
- "Témiscaming (Ville)". Commission de toponymie du Québec.
- (1996). "Témiscaming 1921–1996".
- (1885). "Au lac Temiskaming!". Ottawa, La Vallee.
- (1996). "Témiscaming 1921–1996".
- (1996). "Témiscaming 1921–1996".
- (Apr 30, 2021). "Norm Macdonald Tells The Most Convoluted Joke Ever - CONAN on TBS". [[Team Coco]].
- Temiskaming Debating Club. (1950). "Tem times.".
- (1996). "Témiscaming 1921-1996: nos racines, notre histoire". s.n..
- (1996). "Témiscaming 1921-1996: nos racines, notre histoire". s.n..
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::