Fermont

Fermont is a mining town located in the regional county municipality of Caniapiscau in the northern part of the Côte-Nord region of Quebec. This municipality includes Mont-Wright, an iron ore extraction sector, as well as Monts Severson (altitude: 840 m).

Its infrastructure makes it unique, including the "Wall", a long building serving as a screen against the north winds. It is a popular destination for hunting and fishing, as well as organized sports and recreation. Formerly isolated, with no access road, this northern town is increasingly accessible thanks to Route 389 linking Baie-Comeau to Labrador-City.

In 2021, it was home to about 2250 people.

Understand
Along with its neighbouring towns Wabush and Labrador City in Labrador, Fermont is part of the Labrador Trough. The Mont-Wright sector has a vast mining centre from which iron ore is extracted, hence the name Fermont. The city stands out for its main building, Place Daviault, commonly known as "Le Mur". It brings together the main businesses and services of the city in addition to housing a good number of housing units. It includes a grocery store, a post office, primary and secondary schools, a hotel and various sports facilities. The building is long and  high. Its nickname is not accidental, because the building actually serves as a wall protecting the city against strong winds from the north. It also aims to allow its residents to participate in a living environment integrating a range of activities and services without having to leave the building in winter. In addition to this legendary screen wall, the city has many single and row houses in the area south and southwest of the screen wall. The village covers a tip of the northern part of Lake Daviault.



Climate
In Fermont, the average temperature in January is a minimum of and a maximum of  The average temperature in July is a minimum of  and a maximum of.

In Fermont, on average, the amount of sunshine in July is 16.5 hours, compared to 8 hours in December and January. On average, snow cover is 517 millimeters in December and 488.9 millimeters in January.

By car
Take Quebec Route 389 starts at Baie-Comeau heading north. From Baie-Comeau, it is a journey of. Labrador City is about 27 km away along Highway 500 (Trans-Labrador Highway) in Newfoundland and Labrador, which becomes Quebec Route 389, once the highway enters Quebec.

Airport
The closest airport to Fermont is Wabush in Labrador, 32 km (via Highway 389) from downtown Fermont. The city includes an aquatic aerodrome to receive seaplanes, located in Lake Daviault, as well as a heliport (located northwest of the village).



By rail
A railway connects Fermont to Port-Cartier, however it is mainly used for transporting iron ore, as well as bulky mining materials and equipment.

Get around
The centre of the village of Fermont is located 3.9 km south of Route 389 (linking Baie-Comeau to Labrador City) which passes on the north side of Mont-Wright and the village of Fermont. Heading east, from the village of Fermont, it bypasses Lac Daviault to head northeast towards Labrador City.



Go next

 * Labrador City
 * Wabush
 * Schefferville
 * Baie-Comeau
 * Port-Cartier