▁some ▁of ▁its ▁neighbour ing ▁towns , ▁it ▁ow es ▁its ▁economic ▁orig ins ▁to ▁the ▁St - M aur ice ▁river ▁on ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁located . ▁A ▁major ▁hydro elect ric ▁dam ▁that ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁river ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁oldest ▁and ▁largest ▁H ydro - Qu ébec ▁generating ▁stations . ▁The ▁dam ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁larger ▁dam ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁The ▁abund ance ▁of ▁relatively ▁in exp ensive ▁electric ity ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁industry , ▁primarily ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁paper . ▁Log s ▁which ▁were ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁paper ▁pul p ▁were ▁flo ated ▁down stream ▁on ▁the ▁St - M aur ice ▁to ▁the ▁paper ▁mill ▁from ▁more ▁nor ther ly ▁areas . ▁The ▁mill , ▁which ▁has ▁changed ▁ownership ▁over ▁the ▁dec ades , ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁last ing ▁impact ▁on ▁the ▁town , ▁from ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁its ▁award - win ning ▁golf ▁course ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁town ' s ▁historic ▁buildings . ▁ ▁The ▁surrounding ▁area ▁consists ▁of ▁for ested ▁hills , ▁la kes , ▁and ▁flat ▁pla ins ▁and ▁far ms , ▁with ▁much ▁gla cial ▁activity ▁still ▁evident . ▁The ▁Maur ic ie ▁region ▁in ▁which ▁Grand - M ère ▁is ▁located ▁has ▁been ▁struggling ▁econom ically ▁for ▁dec ades , ▁and ▁bo asts ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁in exp ensive ▁real ▁estate ▁in ▁Canada . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁comes