In 1672, Intendant Jean Talon granted the seigneury of Pointe-aux-Écureuils to Toussaint Toupin and his son Jean. The town now bears the name of Donnacona, the Iroquoian chief whose village, Stadaconé, near present-day Québec City, was described by Jacques Cartier in 1535.
The town at a glance
RCMPortneuf
North Shorewest of Québec City in Portneuf
Life in Donnacona
The vibe
A small, quiet riverside town that serves as a service hub for several Portneuf villages.
The housing
Mostly single-family homes, with duplexes and small apartment buildings near the main streets.
Nearby
Rivière aux Pommes · Donnacona industrial park · Pont-Rouge
Good to know
Autoroute 40 connects Donnacona to Québec City to the east. A car is the easiest way to get around Portneuf.
Landmarks
- Jacques-Cartier River
- Église Sainte-Agnès
- Chemin du Roy
History
The history of Donnacona
- 1672Seigneury of Pointe-aux-Écureuils granted
- 1912Donnacona Paper mill arrives
- 1915Municipality founded
- 1967Merger with Les Écureuils
- 2008Paper mill closes
In 1912, the arrival of the Donnacona Paper mill brought rapid growth. The municipality of Donnacona was founded in 1915, separated from Saint-Jean-Baptiste-des-Écureuils. At its peak, more than 1,500 men worked in the mills, and the New York Times was printed on their paper.
In 1924, a convent was built. Nuns taught girls at École Sainte-Agnès, and brothers taught boys at Collège Sacré-Cœur. In 1967, Donnacona merged with the municipality of Les Écureuils. On July 24 of that year, General de Gaulle made the first stop of his trip along the Chemin du Roy here and gave a short speech.
On January 31, 2008, the mill, by then owned by Abitibi-Bowater, stopped production, and the closure became permanent. Demolition of the plant began at the end of March 2011. The town remains a service centre for the Portneuf region.
Frequently asked questions about Donnacona
Where is Donnacona?
In the Portneuf RCM, in the Capitale-Nationale region, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, west of Québec City. It can be reached by Autoroute 40 or the Chemin du Roy.
Where does the name Donnacona come from?
From the Iroquoian chief Donnacona, who lived in the village of Stadaconé, on the Saint-Charles River, when Jacques Cartier arrived in 1535. Residents are called Donnaconiens and Donnaconiennes.
What role did the paper mill play in Donnacona?
The mill, opened in 1912, gave rise to the town and employed more than 1,500 men at its peak. It stopped production in 2008 and was demolished starting in 2011.
How do I find an apartment for rent in Donnacona?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in Donnacona will soon be listed on the site, along with the online rental application. In the meantime, Cléo can notify you as soon as a unit is posted.
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