Located east of Ottawa near Highway 417, Embrun is part of the larger Russell Township within the Prescott and Russell United Counties.
With a population nearing 12,000, it is the largest community in the township. The town has a high senior population, with the average population being over the age of 45.
The first residents of Embrun settled in the area in 1845, and it was officially named in 1857 after Embrun, France. In 1898, the establishment of a railroad secured its prosperity until the 20th century when it experienced a period of economic stagnation.
It has recently recovered and is now a booming community undergoing rapid development.
Largely agricultural, this community retains its rural roots and country charm. It is one of the major distributors of dairy and bovine products in the region, as well as sheep, corn, and much more. Today, there is a substantial population of commuters, with the better part of the population working in the service industry.
Largely Francophone, there are three newspapers published in Embrun; La Nouvelle, La Reflet, and the bi-lingual Prescott –Russell News. Embrun has three elementary schools: St Jean, Castor River Public School and Cambridge Public School, one middle school; la Croisee, and one high school; Ecole Secondaire Embrun.
In this period of rapid growth, several new developments are establishing new neighbourhoods. Today, there are several distinct neighbourhoods. These include; the Chantal development, which is a quiet neighbourhood on the west side of Embrun, CentreTown/ Centre-Ville, which is home to the schools and the church Eglise St. Jacques.
On the east side of the town, Lapointe Development further north, and Maplevale to the southeast, which is defined as Embruns most upscale or elite neighbourhood. The neighbourhood of Embrun South sits just below centre-ville.
These four main neighbourhoods make up 90% of the population. Generally separated from one another, there are usually only a few streets connecting them, which allows them to maintain a unique character.
The commercial area or Business Park is located to the extreme west, and is home to nearly all the towns businesses. The Place d’Embrun Shopping Centre as well as several other franchises are located here, such as Tim Hortons, Subway, and Dairy Queen. Grocery stores, garages and other large businesses are also situated in this area. North of the business park is the industrial park, which hosts the Ontario Provincial Police station and warehouses.
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