Wikipedia
The Laurentides is a region of Quebec. While it is often called the Laurentians in English, the region includes only part of the Laurentian mountains. It has a total land area of 20,744.29 km (8,009.42 sq mi) and a 2011 census population of 555,614 inhabitants.
The area was inhabited by the Montagnais First Nations tribe, until the French settled it in the first half of the 19th century, establishing an agricultural presence throughout the valleys. During the 20th century, the area also became a popular tourist destination, based on a cottage and lake culture in the summer, and a downhill and cross-country ski culture in the winter. Ski resorts include Saint-Sauveur and Mont Tremblant.
The Laurentides still offer a weekend escape for Montrealers and tourists from New England to Ontario, though with the building of a major highway through the area in the 1970s ( Autoroute 15), the area has experienced a lot of growth. Its largest city is Saint-Jérôme, in its extreme southeast, with a 2011 census population of 68,456 inhabitants.
Laurentides was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 2003.
This riding was created in 1987 from Labelle riding. It was abolished in 2003, and redistributed between Laurentides—Labelle and Rivière-du-Nord
Laurentides initially consisted of the towns of Estérel, Sainte-Adèle, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Saint-Antoine and Saint-Jérôme, and parts of the Counties of Labelle and Montcalm.
In 1996, the riding was redefined to consist of the cities of Estérel, Saint-Antoine, Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Jovite, Sainte-Adèle and Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, and parts of the County Regional Municipalities of Les Pays-d'en-Haut, La Rivière-du-Nord, and Le Laurentides.