Laval, Québec, Canada (Saint François-de-Sales-de-l'Ile-Jésus)
Laval

Laval, Qué, City, pop 368 709 (2006c), 343 005 (2001c), inc 1965. Laval was formed by the merger of 14 municipalities: Chomedey, Duvernay, Laval-des-Rapides, Laval-Ouest, Pont-Viau, Sainte-Rose, Auteuil, Fabreville, Îles-Laval, Laval-sur-le-lac, Sainte-Dorothée, Saint-François, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul and Vimont. This island-city, 34 km in length by about 11 km in width, is located in the ST LAWRENCE RIVER, north of Île de Montréal, about 15 km from downtown MONTRÉAL. The second largest city of the province of Québec, Laval is separated from Île de Montréal by the Rivière des Prairies and from the mainland to the north by the Rivière des Mille Îles. The city owes its name to François de LAVAL, first Roman Catholic bishop of Québec (1674-88) and onetime seigneur (1675-80) of Île Jésus, the island on which stands today's Laval.

Development
Île Jésus, first granted to the JESUITS in 1636, recalls the role played by those missionaries in the history of NEW FRANCE. Previously known for its pastoral charms and as a summer resort haven for Montrealers, Laval has become a large suburban city with an important manufacturing and industrial base. Since 1965, the city has grown by leaps and bounds, going from 170 000 to today's 330 000 inhabitants.

The Canadian Encyclopedia

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