Huberdeau () is a village and municipality in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Les Laurentides Regional County Municipality. It is located along the western banks of the Rouge River.

History Around 1883, settlers from Lachute, Saint-Hermas, Saint-Jérôme, Sainte-Adèle, and Saint-Sauveur came to the area, and founded the Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci mission. As early as the winter of 1883, the villagers began felling trees to build a chapel. In 1884, some of the timber was used to build the village’s first school. This school, built in 1884, served temporarily as a chapel until the chapel was completed in 1885. The work was supervised by Father Antoine Labelle and Father Samuel Ouimet. In 1895, its post office opened.

In 1904, a terrible forest fire broke out, caused by slash-and-burn fires which farmers had lit to clear the land. The wind picked up, and the fire spread so rapidly that by around nine o’clock in the evening, the orphanage was surrounded by flames. The children were woken up, each was given a small bundle of personal belongings before they were led out into the meadow. Then everyone began to pray. Shortly afterwards, the wind changed direction, rain began to fall, and the fire was extinguished, so that in the end it was nothing more than a scare.

In 1926, the Municipality of Huberdeau was established when it separated from the Township Municipality of Arundel. It is named after (1823–1887), who founded an orphanage in the parish in 1887.

The economic depression that began in 1929 was more severe than ever by 1932. Unemployment was rife. There was a shortage of work everywhere. In 1932, thanks to the efforts of Adélard Fournier, who was mayor at the time, the municipal council secured a grant from the provincial government to build concrete pavements in the village, in order to help the municipality’s unemployed.https://huberdeau.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Livre-CENTENAIRE-DE-LA-PAROISSE-NOTRE-DAME-DE-LA-MERCI-1983.pdf

Orphanage The Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci orphanage was situated in Huberdeau. Owned by the Brothers of Mercy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the orphanage cared for young people in difficulty from 1924 to 1975. The institution has a long history of abuse. Shortly after the Brothers of Our Lady of Mercy took over its running, it hit the headlines following the death of a young resident. The boy, aged 8, was forcibly held by a brother in a bath of boiling water. He died a few days later at Sainte-Justine Hospital. The ensuing trial shocked public opinion, but had no major repercussions for the orphanage. The mistreatment continued, as evidenced by the numerous testimonies from former residents of the institution. Only a religious education was provided there, so it appears that these children were subject to severe stigmatisation. With little or no education, the orphans at Huberdeau were, in effect, hired out by the institution to local farms and businesses, which exploited them (very low wages, long working hours, no days off).https://ici.radio-canada.ca/actualite/zonelibre/03-02/huberdeau.asphttps://histoireengagee.ca/grandir-a-lorphelinat-dans-les-annees-1940-1950-le-temoignage-dyves-lafleur/

In 1975, the religious institution sold the orphanage to the Réseau des Affaires Sociales, and the building subsequently continued to accommodate young people in difficulty. The Centre jeunesse des Laurentides, or the Accueil Vert-Pré de Huberdeau, remains a residential centre for teenagers.https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/detail.do?methode=consulter&id=196622&type=bien

Demographics

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 430 (total dwellings: 527)

Mother tongue (2021): English as first language: 2.9% French as first language: 94.2% English and French as first languages: 1.7% Other as first language: 1.2%

Attractions

The Calvaire d'Huberdeau: The Calvaire d'Huberdeau is a Christian monument composed of a series of 27 statues, each standing about 7 feet tall and weighing some 700 pounds. These statues were imported from Vaucouleurs around 1920 and have served as a beacon of religious faith for the residents of Huberdeau ever since. Standing atop the largest hill in town, the Calvaire now acts as a hiking destination and a lookout for those seeking to admire the beauty of the municipality.

Local government

List of former mayors:

André Lanthier (...–2001) Évelyne Charbonneau (2001–2021) Fanny Véronique Couture (2021–2022) Benoit Chevalier (2022–present)

Education

Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates English-language schools: Arundel Elementary School in Arundel"Arundel Elementary Zone ." Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Retrieved 16 September 2017. Sainte Agathe Academy (for high school only) in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts"SAINTE AGATHE HIGH SCOOL ZONE ". Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Retrieved 17 September 2017 - See text description of boundaries in: About Us" as well as the Elementary zone map - Note that all areas covered in the elementary map are also covered in the secondary one.

References

External links