# Elgin, Quebec

Elgin is a rural municipality in Quebec, Canada. The population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 389. It is located southwest of Huntingdon and bounded by the Trout and Châteauguay rivers and the Canada–United States border.

## History

The Municipality of the Township of Elgin was formed in 1855, with the present town hall being built in 1869. Its small fields and many stone houses attest to the first Scottish settlers who began arriving in the early 19th century. It was named in honour of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, who had become popular with French Canadians for passing the Rebellion Losses Bill in 1849 to compensate the victims of the 1837 Uprising.
In 2009, the township municipality changed statutes to become a regular municipality.

## Geography

The municipality is situated on the border with the United States, 14 kilometres south-west of Huntingdon, Quebec. It is one of the two southernmost communities in Quebec, along with Hinchinbrooke, with their tripoint with New York on the Châteauguay River being the southernmost point in the province.

### Communities

The following locations reside within the municipality's boundaries:
* Trout River (44°59′52″N 74°19′00″W﻿ / ﻿44.99778°N 74.31667°W﻿ / 44.99778; -74.31667﻿ (Trout River, Elgin, QC)) – a hamlet situated on Route 138, just north of the U.S. border. Includes Canada & US Customs border crossing.

### Lakes & rivers

The following waterways pass through or are situated within the municipality's boundaries:
* Trout River (45°04′24″N 74°11′07″W﻿ / ﻿45.07333°N 74.18528°W﻿ / 45.07333; -74.18528﻿ (Trout River, Elgin, QC)) – runs along the municipality's Western and Northern border.
* Châteauguay River (45°01′56″N 74°11′08.9″W﻿ / ﻿45.03222°N 74.185806°W﻿ / 45.03222; -74.185806﻿ (Châteauguay River, Elgin, QC)) – delineates the municipality's Eastern border.

## Demographics
### Population

| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1921 | 693 | — |
| 1931 | 662 | −4.5% |
| 1941 | 637 | −3.8% |
| 1951 | 539 | −15.4% |
| 1956 | 497 | −7.8% |
| 1961 | 495 | −0.4% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1966 | 427 | −13.7% |
| 1971 | 454 | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 524 | +15.4% |
| 1981 | 455 | −13.2% |
| 1986 | 436 | −4.2% |
| 1991 | 469 | +7.6% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1996 | 448 | −4.5% |
| 2001 | 449 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 458 | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 401 | −12.4% |
| 2016 | 394 | −1.7% |
| 2021 | 389 | −1.3% |
Source: Statistics Canada :

### Language

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Elgin, 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 % |
| 2011 | 405 | 155 | 8.8% | 38.27% | 210 | 22.2% | 51.85% | 10 | n/a% | 2.47% | 30 | 200.0% | 7.41% |
| 2006 | 450 | 170 | 3.0% | 37.8% | 270 | 14.9% | 60.00% | 0 | 100.0% | 0.00% | 10 | 77.8% | 2.22% |
| 2001 | 455 | 165 | 43.5% | 36.26% | 235 | 17.5% | 51.65% | 10 | n/a% | 2.20% | 45 | 0.0% | 9.89% |
| 1996 | 445 | 115 | n/a | 25.84% | 285 | n/a | 64.05% | 0 | n/a | 0.00% | 45 | n/a | 10.11% |

## Local government

List of former mayors:
* Noëlla Daoust (...–2005)
* Jean-Pierre Proulx (2005–2009)
* Deborah Stewart (2009–present)

## Arts and culture

A rural art and music centre offers a full summer program of professional entertainment and cultural events in a renovated old church, now named Kelso Hall. Run by community volunteers Kim Moss, Nora Quinn, and Cathleen Johnston, Kelso Hall has been host to comedian Lorne Elliott, classical string quartets, silent movies with piano accompaniment, slide-music presentations, exhibits of art, and more. (Since 2013, this project has been closed)