Sorel-Tracy (; French: [sɔʁɛl tʁaˈsi]) is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada and the geographical end point of the Champlain Valley. It is located at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River, on the western edge of Lac Saint-Pierre, downstream and northeast of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2021 census was 35,165. Its mayor is Patrick Péloquin and it is the seat of the Pierre-De Saurel Regional County Municipality and the judicial district of Richelieu.
The city is the result of a voluntary merger in March 2000 between two former municipalities, Sorel and Tracy, which developed on opposite shores of the Richelieu River: Tracy on the west shore and Sorel on the east shore. Sorel itself had annexed in 1992 the municipality of Saint-Pierre-de-Sorel; today it forms the southern part of its territory.
Sorel was founded in 1642. Tracy was founded on February 10, 1954, but prior to that, it was a parish municipality known as Saint-Joseph de Sorel. (This is not to be confused with the town of Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, an independent municipality north of Tracy).
Sorel-Tracy is known for manufacturing related to the steel industry and metallurgy. It has a ferry linking the city to the village of Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola. Its shipyard built units of three frigates for the Canadian forces, and two ships in the late 1960s.
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History
Early exploration in this area by the French was a catalyst for armed conflict with various indigenous peoples. The French also learned about existing rivalries among these nations and sought to build its own alliances with First Nations. The Battle of Sorel occurred on June 19, 1610: Samuel de Champlain had some French regulars or local militia, as well as First Nations allies, the Wendat (also known as Huron by the French), Algonquin and Innu peoples. Together they held off the powerful Mohawk people in New France.
Sorel is the fourth-oldest city in the province of Quebec. Its formation began in 1642 when Charles Huault de Montmagny, first Governor and Lieutenant-Governor of New France, built Fort Richelieu here as a defense for settlers and river travellers against the Haudenosaunee, primarily the Mohawk, the powerful easternmost nation in the Confederacy-based south of the Great Lakes.
In 1647, the original fort was destroyed by the Mohawk, but it was rebuilt by the Carignan-Salières Regiment on the same site in 1665.
The name Sorel comes from the first seigneur of the area, Pierre de Saurel. He was in command of a company of the Carignan-Salières Regiment that landed in New France in August 1665. He was granted a seigneury by King Louis XIV in 1672, after having already built a manor house four years prior. The parish of Tracy was named for Lieutenant General Alexander de Prouville, Sieur de Tracy, who was overall in command of the Carignan-Salières Regiment directly under the Governor.
After Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester visited Sorel in 1787, the town took the name of William-Henry, a name it retained until 1845.
It is probable that before the American Revolution, there were no English-speaking, Protestant people in Sorel, as it had been settled by French-speaking colonists and their descendants, who were primarily Catholic. Although a hamlet or small village, it was the scene of much activity during the war and after.
During 1776 large bodies of troops passed through and at times were stationed in the area. For example, the English quartered in Sorel the German auxiliaries they hired after they reached Quebec. Governor Frederick Haldimand wrote a letter to Lord George Germain in October 1778, from his camp in Sorel where fortifications were in progress, proposing his use of the Seigneurie,
Economy
The city is home to the Tracy Thermal Generating Station.
The city is home to a shipyard, which built several Royal Canadian Navy ships in the 20th century.
The city is home to QIT-Fer et Titane, a titanium smelter and refinery now owned by the Rio Tinto.
Transportation
Sorel-Tracy is within 75 kilometres (47 mi) of both Montreal and Trois-Rivières and is easily accessible via Autoroute 30 from the west and via Route 132 from the east and west. Autoroute 30 stops at Sorel and picks up again at Bécancour, leaving an incomplete segment in between.
A year-round ferry operates on the St. Lawrence River between Sorel-Tracy and Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola on the way to Berthierville.
Geography
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Sorel-Tracy had a population of 35,165 living in 17,069 of its 17,749 total private dwellings, a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 34,755. With a land area of 57.28 km2 (22.12 sq mi), it had a population density of 613.9/km2 (1,590.0/sq mi) in 2021.
French Canadians make up more than 90% of the city's population. Less than 7% of the population is foreign-born or second generation immigrants. Anglo-Canadians make up less than 2% of Sorel-Tracy's inhabitants.
Sports
The city is home to the historic Colisée Cardin, an ice hockey arena built in 1954. The Sorel Éperviers played there from 1969 to 1977 and 1980–81. They advanced to the league final in 1974, losing the President's Cup (QMJHL) to the Quebec Remparts. Since the foundation of the LNAH (formerly QSPHL) in 1996, Sorel-Tracy has hosted a team for all but two seasons, 2008–2010. The team was known variously as Dinosaures, Mission, Royaux, GCI and HC Caverna before taking the name Sorel-Tracy Éperviers in 2012.
Notable people
François Beauchemin, ice hockey defenseman who last played for the Anaheim Ducks in the NHL, and who won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.
Anthony Beauvillier, ice hockey left winger who plays for the Washington Capitals in the NHL. He was drafted by the New York Islanders 28th overall in 2015.
Danic Champoux, documentary filmmaker
Maryeve Dufault, racing driver
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League. He won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
Marc-André Fleury, former goaltender who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, and Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League. He won three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, 2016 and 2017
Andre Gill, ice hockey goaltender
Claude Lagacé, organist
Pierre Mondou, ice hockey centre who won 3 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1977, 1978, and 1979
Jean Morin, retired ice hockey linesman
Pierre Paquette, politician and member of the Bloc Québécois, a Canadian political party
LuFisto, professional wrestler
Monique Régimbald-Zeiber, painter