The area was part of the Seigneury of Rigaud, granted in 1732 to the brothers Pierre and François-Pierre Rigaud de Vaudreuil. Around 1750, they operated a trading post on a point in the Ottawa River, which later became known as Pointe Fortune. The name "Fortune" could refer to Colonel William Fortune who had received a 809 hectares (2,000 acres) concession in nearby Chatham Township at the end of the 18th century, or to Joseph Fortune, an early 19th century militiaman and surveyor.[1]
The municipality was formerly called Petites-Écorces and Petit-Carillon (referring to the larger Carillon directly across the Ottawa River), but in 1851, the post office opened under the English name of Point Fortune (modified to its current name in 1954).[1] In 1880, the Village Municipality of Pointe-Fortune was created out of territory ceded by Sainte-Madeleine-de-Rigaud.[6] In 2023, the village of Pointe-Fortune became a Municipality.[7] In 2025, Sandra Lavoratore became the first woman to be mayor of Pointe-Fortune.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Pointe-Fortune had a population of 582 living in 258 of its 283 total private dwellings, a change of 0.3% from its 2016 population of 580. With a land area of 8.09 km2 (3.12 sq mi), it had a population density of 71.9/km2 (186.3/sq mi) in 2021.[9]
Canada census – Pointe-Fortune, Quebec community profile
Notes: 2011 income data for this area has been suppressed for data quality or confidentiality reasons. References: 2021[10] 2016[11] 2011[12]
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Pointe-Fortune, Quebec[8]
Census
Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year
Responses
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
2011
540
435
16.0%
80.56%
75
28.6%
13.89%
10
n/a%
1.85%
20
20.0%
3.70%
2006
505
375
5.1%
74.26%
105
162.5%
20.79%
0
0.0%
0.00%
25
25.0%
4.95%
2001
455
395
0.0%
86.81%
40
33.3%
8.79%
0
0.0%
0.00%
20
n/a%
4.40%
1996
455
395
n/a
86.81%
60
n/a
13.19%
0
n/a
0.00%
0
n/a
0.00%
Attractions
Macdonell-Williamson House,[13] which owes its existence to the fur trade and the Voyageurs, is located just west of the historical boundary marker, which still stands and marked the division between Upper and Lower Canada.
The Parish of Saint-François-Xavier-de-Pointe-Fortune celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004.[1] The municipality was originally served by the Catholic parish of St. Francois Xavier, established in 1904, which eventually closed on December 24, 2014. The church was sold and is now privately owned.