# Saint-Eustache, Quebec

Saint-Eustache (French pronunciation: ) is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in western Quebec, Canada, west of Montreal on the north shore of the Rivière des Mille Îles. It is located 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Montreal.

## History

The city was founded in 1770 and was incorporated in 1835. It has a famous church, Saint-Eustache church, which was built between 1780 and 1783.
A significant battle of the Lower Canada Rebellion was fought here on December 14, 1837. In the Battle of Saint-Eustache, the rebels were defeated, and the town was burnt. The church was fully rebuilt after the burning except for the front facade, where canon bullet holes can still be found.
In 1979, General Motors opened a transit bus manufacturing facility in Saint-Eustache. The factory has produced vehicles under the brands of GM, MCI and, since 1993, has been owned by Nova Bus.
Saint-Eustache was also home to the Autodrome Saint-Eustache from 1965 to 2019, which hosted various stock-car racing, local drag racing, and other race competitions.

## Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saint-Eustache had a population of 45,276 living in 18,958 of its 19,396 total private dwellings, a change of 2.9% from its 2016 population of 44,008. With a land area of 70.51 km$^2$ (27.22 sq mi), it had a population density of 642.1/km$^2$ (1,663.1/sq mi) in 2021.
Population trend:
* Population in 2021: 45,276 (2016 to 2021 population change: 2.9%)
* Population in 2016: 44,008 (2011 to 2016 population change: -0.3%)
* Population in 2011: 44,154 (2006 to 2011 population change: 4.9%)
* Population in 2006: 42,062 (2001 to 2006 population change: 4.2%)
* Population in 2001: 40,378
* Population in 1996: 39,848
* Population in 1991: 37,278
* Population in 1986: 32,226
* Population in 1981: 29,771
* Population in 1976: 21,248
* Population in 1971: 9,479
* Population in 1966: 7,319
* Population in 1961: 5,463
* Population in 1956: 3,740
* Population in 1951: 2,615
* Population in 1941: 1,564
* Population in 1931: 1,187
* Population in 1921: 1,098
* Population in 1911: 996
* Population in 1901: 1,079
* Population in 1891: 960
* Population in 1881: 814
* Population in 1871: 858
* Population in 1861: 915
* Population in 1851: 784
Mother tongue (as of 2021) :
* French as first language: 83.9%
* Other as first language: 8.7%
* English as first language: 4.2%
* English and French as first language: 1.5%
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Saint-Eustache, Quebec :
| Census | Total | French | French | French | English | English | English | French & English | French & English | French & English | Other | Other | Other |
| Year | Responses | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % |
| 2021 | 45,000 | 37,755 | 2.92% | 83.9% | 1,880 | 15.69% | 4.2% | 680 | 61.90% | 1.5% | 3.920 | 49.90% | 8.7% |
| 2016 | 43,915 | 38,890 | 1.77% | 88.6% | 1,625 | 0.61% | 3.7% | 420 | 25.37% | 1.0% | 2,615 | 37.27% | 6.0% |
| 2011 | 43,670 | 39,590 | 2.36% | 90.7% | 1,635 | 11.6% | 3.7% | 335 | 31.37% | 0.8% | 1,905 | 60.08% | 4.4% |
| 2006 | 41,595 | 38,680 | 3.28% | 93.0% | 1,465 | 0.69% | 3.5% | 255 | 28.17% | 0.6% | 1,190 | 75% | 2.9% |
| 2001 | 39,940 | 37,455 | 1.74% | 93.8% | 1,455 | 7% | 3.0% | 355 | 5.98% | 0.9% | 680 | 4.61% | 1.7% |
| 1996 | 39,515 | 36,815 | n/a | 93,2% | 1,565 | n/a | 4.0% | 335 | n/a | 0.9% | 650 | n/a | 1.7% |

## Attractions

Major parks in the area:
* Parc Mont Saint-Eustache
* Parc Chenier
* Parc Clair Matin
* Parc Boisé des Moissons
* Parc Nature Saint-Eustache
Attractions include:
* Le culte STB
* Ciné-Parc Saint-Eustache - drive in movie theatre
* Place St-Eustache - mall
* Carrefour Grande Cote - mall
* Marché aux puces St-Eustache - flea market (On the grounds of the Ciné-Parc, when no movies are shown).
* Maison de la culture et du patrimoine
* Moulin Légaré - one of the oldest mill still in operation in the province.
* Complexe Aquatique Saint-Eustache - indoors pool
* Guy-Bélisle Library
* Mathers Spa - permanently closed on March 15 2020

## Infrastructure

Quebec Autoroute 640, Quebec Route 344 and Quebec Route 148 are the major highways servicing Saint-Eustache.
Autoroute 640 makes two complete junctions in Saint-Eustache. The first being a diamond interchange with 25ème Avenue, infamous for not providing safe pedestrian access through the junction, despite having bike paths on both sides of the interchange since 2023. The second being a non-standard diamond interchange with Boulevard Arthur-Sauvé (Quebec Route 148).
There is also an incomplete-access junction between Autoroute 640 and Rue St-Eustache. There is only an on-ramp going eastwards.
Exo operates several bus routes, which connect at Terminus Saint-Eustache:
* 8 Saint-Eustache - Laval
* 80 Saint-Eustache - Pointe-Calumet
* 88 Saint-Eustache - Sainte-Thérèse
* 89 Saint-Eustache - Secteur Dubois
* 90 Saint-Eustache - Arthur-Sauvé and Industrial
* 91 Saint-Eustache East (Saint-Laurent)
* 92 Saint-Eustache Central
* 93 Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac - Saint-Eustache
* 498 (Temporary shuttle bus) Saint-Eustache - Ste-Dorothée - Centre Ville
There are no train stations near Saint-Eustache, the closest being Deux-Montagnes station, a commuter rail station along the Deux-Montagnes line in neighbouring Deux-Montagnes, Quebec. The station has been closed since December 31 2020, due to being upgraded for the REM. Many commuters are now taking the new temporary shuttle buses between the Terminus Saint-Eustache and downtown Montreal.
There used to be a train station in Saint-Eustache from 1882 to 1940. It operated service to and from Sainte-Thérèse.
The closest airports are Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to the south and Montréal–Mirabel International Airport to the north.

## Education

The Commission scolaire de la Seigneurie-des-Mille-Îles (CSSMI) operates French-language public schools:
* École secondaire des Patriotes
* École Arc-en-ciel
* École Clair Matin
* École au Coeur-du-Boisé
* École Curé-Paquin
* École Horizon-Soleil
* École Notre-Dame
* École Village-des-Jeunes
* École des Jardins-des-Patriotes
Some residents are zoned to École primaire Girouard in Mirabel and École secondaire d'Oka in Oka
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates English-language schools. Lake of Two Mountains High School in Deux-Montagnes serves the community. Mountainview Elementary School and Saint Jude Elementary School, both in Deux-Montagnes, also serve the community.