The Geography of the Pontiac
Situated in the western part of the Outaouais, the PPJ Cyclopark opens
up a trail in the Outaouais Valley, between the river of the same name and the Laurentian
plateau.
The Pontiac County is situated in the western part of the Outaouais.
This county's limits are: in the west, the Temiscamingue; in the north and the
east,
Gatineau County; and in the south, the Outaouais River which separates Quebec and Ontario.
The geomorphology of the Outaouais is of a plain and a dry plateau. The
plain is pretty narrow and is surrounded by Montebello in the east, Allumettes Island in
the west, the Ottawa River in the south and the Laurentian plateau in the
north. The
plateau has many stigmata caused by erosion. It is dotted with hills that don't
exceed a height of 400 metres and the plateau has of basins that are joined together by
valleys.
Over a million years ago, the region lived through three periods that
determined its present face. First of all, there was the arrival of big mountains chains
during the Precambrian Era, then the big floods of the Palaeozoic Era caused some of the
erosion that shaped the Laurentians, and finally the slow moving glacial drift of the
Quaternary period. It was only around 11 000 years before our time that the glaciers
finally started to melt and the first people settle came to in the Outaouais.
The Pontiac valley occupies only 10% of the whole area of the Outaouais
region, but it has some very fertile soils and it represents the biggest agricultural
potential of the Outaouais Valley. The Laurentian plateau covers nine tenths of the
territory, which include its rich forests with its thousands of lakes which are drained by
the Moine, Coulonge, Black and Quyon Rivers.
The Pontiac's economy is mainly based on the exploitation and the
primary transformation of natural resources. The forest is characterized by a
heterogeneous population where the leafy trees are an important factor. The forests of the
Pontiac have a strong exploitation potential and many forest industries are taking
advantage. According to a study done by the Ministry of Natural Resources in 1994, the
region depends on this industry for 92.3% of its jobs.
In the forest, we find an abundant and varied fauna which includes many
species of mammals, water-fowl, insects, batrachian, etc. This vast territory is
principally composed of public land and it is used for hunting, fishing, outdoors
activities, boating, etc. This is the region's commercial and tourist industry resource.
The necessary sub-structures for the tourism industry are in full development and many
tourist projects are on their way to being finished. For example, the opening of the
Ottawa River (waterway), the management of the interpretation site of the Coulonge Falls
and the management of the PPJ Cyclopark (old railroad).
The agricultural environment also makes up an important part of the
regional economy. The fertile lands of a territory maintain the large cultivation, and the
extensive breeding, mostly of cattle. Also, the Pontiac is placed first in Quebec for
cattle breeding.
For transportation, the regional Municipality of Pontiac County is
relatively well served. The municipalities are linked to the national net through Highway
148, and to the regional net through Highways 301, 303, and the 366. Those roads are the
spine of the transportation system for Pontiac's residents.
The population of the Pontiac is about 15 736 inhabitants. Since the
1970s, the population decreased, but at the moment this has stabilized. The population of
the Pontiac can be characterized by an exodus of youth, the return of people 35
years and over, and the aging of seniors.
