It was formed in December 1946 when it separated from the territory of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fossambault, following protests of this part of the population against the municipal taxes.

The community was founded by Irish immigrants and once contained a substantial English-speaking population, though today it is chiefly French-speaking.

[5] Mother tongue: In 1997, it was discovered that the chemical trichloroethylene seeped into the town's water supply from a nearby munitions factory.

[6][7] It was claimed that this increased the rates of cancers in the area, with more than 3,000 people taking part in a group lawsuit against the federal government in 2003.

[6] After years of campaigning, compensation was later awarded to some local residents, but the court did not endorse the link between the contamination and cancers.