The First Ships
The Jean-Brillant arrives with managers and engineers. The next day, the Marco-Polo brings the first workers and supplies from Rimouski.
← Bishop Napoléon-Alexandre Labrie
Baie-Comeau:
North Shore · 1936–1939
Baie-Comeau:
The Early Days
From a major construction project on the banks of the St. Lawrence River to the birth of a city.
Follow the early years ↓Ships at the Baie-Comeau dock · Archival photograph
A City Under Construction
A construction site, then a community
In April 1936, ships brought project managers, engineers, the first workers, and supplies to Comeau Cove. The camps, the wharf, the transportation routes, and the plant began to take shape on the North Shore.
The name Baie-Comeau had already been in use since the opening of the “Comeau Bay” post office in 1929. In 1937, the incorporation process marked the emergence of a true city.
1936–1939
The Early Years
Here are some highlights about the construction site and the emerging town, drawn from the historical file on Baie-Comeau.
The Construction Site Takes Shape
Work begins on the camps, the wharf, the road, and the railroad track leading to the factory site. Shops and service providers set up shop in the barracks.
The first houses
Champlain and Cartier Streets take shape with the first homes. Construction of the power plant on the Rivière aux Outardes also employs workers.
The City Takes Shape
Baie-Comeau’s application for incorporation is submitted to the provincial legislature. The construction site gradually becomes a community.
See in the archives
Baie-Comeau from the air in 1939
These aerial photographs show the construction site, the plant, the wharf, and the city’s first neighborhoods. Select an image to enlarge it.
A Notable Figure from Baie-Comeau
Bishop N.-A. Labrie
