title: Mercier, Quebec
text: # Mercier, Quebec
  
  Mercier is a suburban town in southwestern Quebec, Canada, in the Roussillon Regional County Municipality. It is located on the Châteauguay River, southwest of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 14,626.
  
  ## History
  
  Officially founded in 1855, Mercier was formerly called Sainte-Philomène. The name was changed in 1968 in order to pay homage to the former Premier of Quebec, Honoré Mercier, who served from 1887 to 1891. The name change is also due to the proximity to the Honoré Mercier Bridge and also aims to give the city a name that is more marketable and less unpleasant in English.
  
  Moreover, the worship dedicated to Philomena was increasingly uncertain and had survived thanks to the devotion with which it was surrounded in the 19th century. This last reason precipitated the decision to change the name of the city.
  
  The first municipal council was formed in Sainte-Philomène in 1845 and sat, in accordance with the law, for two years, the first mayor of which was Antoine Couillard (1845-1846).
  
  ## Demographics
  
  In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Mercier had a population of 14,626 living in 5,398 of its 5,472 total private dwellings, a change of 11.5% from its 2016 population of 13,115. With a land area of 45.96 $km^2$ (17.75 sq mi), it had a population density of $318.2/km^2$ (824.2/sq mi) in 2021.
  
  Canada Census Mother Tongue - Mercier, 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 | 14,625 | 12,000 | 5.6% | 82.1% | 1,040 | 26.8% | 7.1% | 280 | 100.0% | 1.9% | 1,135 | 61.0% | 7.8% |
  | 2016 | 13,115 | 11,365 | 10.6% | 86.7% | 820 | 21.5% | 6.3% | 140 | 7.7% | 1.1% | 705 | 60.2% | 5.4% |
  | 2011 | 11,525 | 10,280 | 11.6% | 89.20% | 675 | 21.6% | 5.86% | 130 | 188.9% | 1.13% | 440 | 51.7% | 3.82% |
  | 2006 | 10,100 | 9,210 | 4.2% | 91.19% | 555 | 50.0% | 5.49% | 45 | 30.8% | 0.45% | 290 | 114.8% | 2.87% |
  | 2001 | 9,410 | 8,840 | 8.7% | 93.94% | 370 | 40.3% | 3.93% | 65 | 8.3% | 0.69% | 135 | 32.5% | 1.43% |
  | 1996 | 9,015 | 8,135 | n/a | 90.24% | 620 | n/a | 6.88% | 60 | n/a | 0.67% | 200 | n/a | 2.22% |
  
  ## Transportation
  
  The CIT du Haut-Saint-Laurent provides commuter and local bus services.
  
  