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Rapide-de-l'Orignal was founded at the current location of Mont-Laurier, on the Lievre River in 1885 by Solime Alix. The name was changed in 1909 to honor Canada prime minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. In 1940, a road from Mont-Laurier to Abitibi was built and jump-started the trucking industry.
The current mayor of Mont-Laurier is Michel Adrien. He was elected in 2003. It is notable that Mr. Adrien, a black man of Haitian origin in an overwhelmingly white town, was elected with a 80% majority. A city council is also in place.
motto: Laurus elationis praemium
Mont-Laurier is located on the banks of the Rivière du Lièvre , A tributary of the Ottawa River, about 200 km from its mouth. Its location in the Laurentian range of mountains confers it an altitude of 244 m above sea level. It is surrouded by numerous lakes and mixed forest that support hunting, fishing and leisure, but also logging.
It sits on the halfway point of the major roadway from Montreal to Abitibi, the 117 road, about 250 km Northwest of Montreal. The 309 road follows the Lievre and leads to Hull Ottawa 216 km to the South.
Mont-Laurier is the administrative and commercial center of the Haute-Lievre area. Many are employed by the various goverment, schools and the hospital. Most of the economic activity is generated by tourism, road transport and forestry. There is some agriculture, mostly dairy farming, and transformation, with three cheese makers.
Coursol, Luc, Histoire de Mont-Laurier, 1940-1990, Les éditions Luc Coursol, 1991. BooksEnthsiast.com