Société d'histoire et de généalogie de l'Île Jésus

The Société d'histoire et de généalogie de l'Île Jésus (SHGIJ) is a non-profit historical and genealogical society based in Laval, Québec, Canada. It is dedicated to preserving, studying and disseminating the history of Île Jésus — the island on which the modern city of Laval is located — and to supporting genealogical research connected to its families and communities. The organization also operates under the name Centre d'archives de Laval (CAL), which serves as its archival and documentation centre. The society's activities centre on its archives and documentation centre. It holds archival fonds, a library and periodicals, and makes these available to members and researchers. Access to the documentation centre and to archival consultation is free for members of affiliated organizations, and membership is open to individuals, families, students, corporations and lifetime members at published annual rates. The SHGIJ also offers records-management advisory services to businesses and organizations that need help organizing their information, with customized tools and guidance from qualified staff. Services are offered by appointment only, with 24 hours' notice, and the centre is open Monday to Thursday. The SHGIJ is located at 4631 boulevard Lévesque Est in Laval, Québec. It communicates with the public through its website, shgij.org, and by telephone and email. Its mission combines heritage preservation with public diffusion: it publishes historical content about the Laval territory, from its geological formation after the last glaciation and the retreat of the Champlain Sea, through Indigenous presence and French colonization, to the present day. In doing so, it positions itself as a memory institution for Laval — part archive, part historical society, part genealogical resource — sustained by membership, service fees and volunteer involvement. As a local heritage organization rather than a commercial enterprise, the SHGIJ occupies a specific niche: it is a trusted repository and reference point for anyone researching Laval families, properties, institutions or local history. Its dual identity as a society and an archive centre allows it to serve both amateur genealogists and professional or institutional clients in need of records-management expertise.

The Société d'histoire et de généalogie de l'Île Jésus is a historical and genealogical society based in Laval, Québec, on the island historically known as Île Jésus. It exists to preserve and promote the documentary heritage of the Laval territory and to support genealogical research. The organization also operates the Centre d'archives de Laval (CAL), which functions as its archival and documentation centre. The society's historical narrative of its territory begins with the geological formation of the island. According to its published history, the island emerged around 8,500 years ago as the Champlain Sea receded after the last glaciation, initially as an archipelago, and only later took approximately its present shape during a phase referred to as the "Saint-Barthélémy stage." Sediments deposited by water gave the future Île Jésus its soil composition. Archaeological evidence, including a site excavated in 1963 at the north-east tip of the island containing a Lamoka-style point possibly more than 3,000 years old, suggests an Indigenous presence associated with the Laurentian Archaic culture, with other artifacts dating to the Middle Woodland period (roughly 2,400 to 1,000 years before present). The society notes that Indigenous presence may extend much further back, as Paleo-Indian Plano culture sites of roughly 8,000 years have been found elsewhere in Québec. European contact began in the mid-16th century, when French explorers first visited the region. Over the following centuries, Île Jésus was settled and developed, eventually becoming the city of Laval. The SHGIJ's role is to document and make accessible this long history through its archives, library and public history content. As an institution, the SHGIJ operates as a membership-based non-profit. It offers several membership categories — individual, family, student, corporate, lifetime and corporate lifetime — with annual fees, and provides free access to its documentation centre and archives for members of affiliated organizations. It also sells reproduction services such as photocopies and digital scans. Beyond serving genealogists and historians, the society offers records-management consulting to businesses and organizations, helping them organize their information with customized tools. This service is by appointment only, with 24 hours' notice, and supports the society's mandate of preserving and disseminating Laval's historical heritage. The society is located at 4631 boulevard Lévesque Est in Laval, Québec. It maintains a website at shgij.org and can be reached by telephone at 450 661-0908 or by email. Its public-facing work includes publishing historical articles about the Laval territory, from geology and Indigenous history to colonization and modern development. Through these activities, the SHGIJ acts as a key memory institution for Laval, bridging archival preservation, genealogical services and public history.

• A site at the north-east tip of Île Jésus is excavated, yielding a Lamoka-style point possibly more than 3,000 years old.

• The society publishes a history of the Laval territory covering geology, Indigenous presence and colonization.

• The Centre d'archives de Laval (CAL) operates as the archival and documentation centre of the SHGIJ.

A local memory institution for Laval, combining a historical society, genealogical resource and archival centre under one non-profit organization.

• Centre d'archives de Laval (CAL)

  Archival and documentation centre offering access to archives, library and periodicals.

• Membership program

  Annual memberships for individuals, families, students, corporations and lifetime members.

• Records-management advisory services

  Consulting for businesses and organizations on organizing information and implementing customized records-management tools.

• Reproduction services

  Photocopying and digital scanning of archival documents for members.

1. 1Accueil - SHGIJ - CALshgij.org
2. 2Histoire de Laval - SHGIJ - CALshgij.org
3. 3Services et tarification - SHGIJ - CALshgij.org
4. 4Bénévolat - SHGIJ - CALshgij.org
5. 5Société d'histoire et de généalogie de l'Île Jésus - Wikidatawikidata.org