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Civic Brief • Canada Notes

Maniwaki

Maniwaki is a town in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada, and the administrative centre of La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Maniwaki is a town in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It serves as the administrative centre of La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality.

What it is

Maniwaki is a small town located on the Gatineau River, about 125–130 kilometres north of Ottawa and Gatineau. It was founded in 1851 after starting as a mission in 1849, and later incorporated as a city in 1957. The name is reported to mean “Terre de Marie” in Algonquin.

Key details

The town covers an area of 8.8 km² and had a population of 3,853 in the 2016 census. It sits near the crossroads of Routes 105 and 107, close to Route 117, and acts as a local service hub for the surrounding area. Maniwaki is also the seat of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Tribal Council.

Why it matters

Maniwaki is a regional service centre for the Outaouais region and is closely tied to the nearby Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg reserve. It represents an important centre of Algonquin presence in western Quebec, making it relevant to discussions of Indigenous communities and rural Quebec towns.

In short

  • Town on the Gatineau River north of Ottawa
  • Founded 1851, became a city in 1957
  • Population ~3,853 (2016 census)
  • Regional hub with strong Algonquin ties
Canadian angle

Maniwaki is relevant to Canadian readers as a small Quebec town that functions as a regional service centre and sits within the Outaouais area of western Quebec, near the Ottawa–Gatineau metropolitan region.

Quick questions

What is Maniwaki?
Maniwaki is a town in Quebec, Canada, in the Outaouais region.
Where is Maniwaki located?
It is on the Gatineau River in La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau RCM, north of Ottawa and Gatineau.
What does the name Maniwaki mean?
Local sources say the name means “Terre de Marie” in Algonquin.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maniwaki
    Supports: General location, status as town, administrative centre, and road/river setting.
  2. Wikipedia (French)https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maniwaki
    Supports: Regional setting, Algonquin presence, Kitigan Zibi adjacency, and role as service centre.
  3. Commission de toponymie du Québechttps://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=38514
    Supports: Official toponym entry, town status, administrative region, RCM, and coordinates.
  4. Tourisme Vallée-de-la-Gatineauhttps://tourismevalleedelagatineau.com/explorez-la-region/nos-municipalites-villes/ville-maniwaki/
    Supports: Foundation date, population, area, and meaning of the name.
  5. Statistics Canadahttps://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=F&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2483065&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&SearchText=Maniwaki&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=2483065&TABID=1&type=0
    Supports: 2016 census population figure.