Belledune

Belledune (2011 population: 1,548) is a Canadian village that straddles the boundary between Restigouche County and Gloucester County, New Brunswick.

Belledune
Village
Belledune is located in New Brunswick
Belledune

Belledune
Location within New Brunswick.
Coordinates: 47°54′N 65°49′W
CountryCanada
ProvinceNew Brunswick
CountyRestigouche
ParishBeresford
Founded1799
Village1968
Government
 • MayorPaul Arseneault
Area
 • Total189.18 km2 (73.04 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total1,325
 • Density7.0/km2 (18/sq mi)
 • Pop 2016-2021
Decrease 6.5%
 • Dwellings
782
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (ADT)
Postal code(s)
E8G
Area code506
Highways
Route 11
Route 134

The community of Belledune was created through the amalgamation of Jacquet River, Armstrong Brook, and Belledune in 1994. The community dubbed itself a "Supervillage" after this amalgamation. Belledune's population meets the requirements as a "Town" under the Municipalities Act of the Province of New Brunswick, but it has not requested a change in municipal status.

Belledune is one of the few municipalities not significantly affected by the province's 2023 local governance reforms.

History
See also: History of New Brunswick and List of historic places in Gloucester County, New Brunswick

The village was first settled by François Guitard around 1815.[1] Guitard was originally from France, and after fighting in Napoleon's army he defected to the British army. He and his wife Marie emigrated to Canada and after a brief settling in Riviere-Ouelle, Quebec, were granted land in New Brunswick. Guitard had also helped map the New Brunswick coastline with the British military. Settlers from the Miramichi Valley moved towards Belledune after the 1825 Great Miramichi Fire.

Economy

Belledune underwent unprecedented development during the 1960s when under the premiership of Louis Robichaud a major regional port was built to service various industries on the north shore of New Brunswick.

The first major industrial projects at the port included in 1966 a lead and zinc smelter, now owned by Glencore with a nominal production of 120,000 tonnes per year.[2][3][4] built in support of the lead and zinc mines opened south of Bathurst during the 1950s in the Bathurst Mining Camp. The smelter has managed to extract silver from its imported silver lead concentrates, and in 2011 produced 400mt of pure silver valued at 448M$; the company proposes to increase its silver production to 700mt.[5] The current permit to operate is file number I-7107.[6]

NB Power opened the Belledune Generating Station, a coal-fired thermal generating station, at the port in 1993.

Demographics
Historical Census Data - Belledune, New Brunswick[7]
YearPop.±%
1991 2,087—    
1996 2,060−1.3%
2001 1,923−6.7%
YearPop.±%
2006 1,711−11.0%
2011 1,548−9.5%
2016 1,417−8.5%
YearPop.±%
2021 1,325−6.5%
Source: [8]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Belledune had a population of 1,325 living in 688 of its 782 total private dwellings, a change of -6.5% from its 2016 population of 1,417. With a land area of 189.18 km2 (73.04 sq mi), it had a population density of 7.0/km2 (18.1/sq mi) in 2021.[8]

Canada census – Belledune community profile
20212011
Population1,325 (-6.5% from 2016)1,548 (-9.5% from 2006)
Land area189.18 km2 (73.04 sq mi)189.33 km2 (73.10 sq mi)
Population density7/km2 (18/sq mi)8.2/km2 (21/sq mi)
Median age59.2 (M: 58.4, F: 59.6)53.2 (M: 53.1, F: 53.2)
Total private dwellings685851
Median household income$40,129
References: 2021[9] 2011[10] earlier[11][12]

Language
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Belledune, New Brunswick[7]
Census Total
English
French
English & French
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2011
1,550
 1,285 Decrease 13.2% 82.90% 235 Increase 14.6% 15.16% 25 Increase 25.0% 1.61% 5 Increase n/a% 0.32%
2006
1,705
 1,480 Decrease 13.4% 86.80% 205 Decrease 6.8% 12.02% 20 Increase 100.0% 1.17% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00%
2001
1,940
 1,710 Decrease 3.9% 88.14% 220 Decrease 15.4% 11.34% 10 Decrease 71.4% 0.52% 0 Steady 0.0% 0.00%
1996
2,075
 1,780 n/a 85.78% 260 n/a 12.53% 35 n/a 1.69% 0 n/a 0.00%

Notable people
Main article: List of people from Gloucester County, New Brunswick

See also

References
  1. gnb.ca: "Provincial Archives of New Brunswick - RS108-Guittard,-F | Land Petitions: Original Series"
  2. cbc.ca: "Brunswick Smelter, union reach agreement", 15 Aug 2014
  3. gnb.ca: "Xstrata Canada Corporation - Brunswick Smelter - Class 1 Air Quality Approval" Archived May 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ic.gc.ca: " Brunswick Smelter a Glencore Company "
  5. gnb.ca: "FACILITY MODIFICATION - SILVER REFINERY OPTIMIZATION PROJECT" (Department of Environment Impact Management Branch) August 2011
  6. gnb.ca: "Approval to Operate I-7107 - XSTRATA CANADA CORPORATION for the operation of the Belledune Lead Smelter and Bulk Handling Facility" Archived May 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  7. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  8. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), New Brunswick". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  9. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  10. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  11. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  12. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.



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