Hubert Biermans was a Dutch

Dutch people

The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...

 and Canadian businessman.

Youth

Born in 1865, Jean Hubert Biermans is the son of Frans Biermans and Hubertina Ruyten . His father is a baker

Baker

A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...

 in Herkenbosch, a village in the province of Limburg

Limburg (Netherlands)

Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...

, in the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. In 1877, at the age of 12, Hubert begins working for a Belgian railroad construction company. From then until 1888, he works at various railroad construction sites in Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, France and, from 1886 to 1888, in Algeria, where he is given the direction of the works .

Congo

In 1889, in Brussels

Brussels

Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

, he enters at the service of the Compagnie de chemin de fer du Congo, of Belgian businessman Albert Thys

Albert Thys

Albert Thys was a Belgian businessman who was active in the Congo Free State. He gave his name of Thysville to the station of Sona Qongo, currently Mbanza-Ngungu in Bas-Congo....

. From 1890 to 1898, in Congo

Congo Free State

The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...

, Biermans works on the construction of the Matadi-Léopoldville Railway, linking the port of Matadi

Matadi

Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Bas-Congo province. It has a population of 245,862 . Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River from the mouth and below the last navigable point before rapids make the river impassable for a...

 to the Stanley Pool

Pool Malebo

The Pool Malebo , is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River....

 and to Léopoldville

Kinshasa

Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....

 . At first, he is chief of an advanced survey team. He is later promoted to director of the superstructure team.

Back in Belgium, he is commissionned by the Banque d'Outremer for exploring railroad projects in different countries, from 1898 to 1900.

Canada

On November 9, 1900, Biermans arrives in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, to evaluate the advancement of the construction of a pulp and paper plant . He becomes director of the Belgian-owned Belgo Canadian Pulp & Paper Company

AbitibiBowater

Resolute Forest Products , formerly known as AbitibiBowater Inc. is a pulp and paper manufacturer headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formed by the merger of Bowater and Abitibi-Consolidated, which was announced 29 January 2007...

("the Belgo") . On December 12, 1907, he marries Berthe Lapôtre, in Middelkerke

Middelkerke

Middelkerke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, on the North Sea, west of Ostend. The municipality comprises the towns of Leffinge, Lombardsijde, Mannekensvere, Middelkerke proper, Schore, Sint-Pieters-Kapelle, Slijpe, Westende and Wilskerke. On January 1, 2006...

, Belgium . He obtains the Canadian citizenship. He runs for the Legislative Assembly of Quebec

Legislative Assembly of Quebec

The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...

 in the 1919 Quebec general election

Quebec general election, 1919

The Quebec general election of 1919 was held on June 23, 1919 to elect members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Lomer Gouin, was re-elected, defeating the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Arthur Sauvé.Gouin, who had held office since...

 as an "independent liberal" candidate, in the district of Saint-Maurice

Saint-Maurice (provincial electoral district)

Saint-Maurice is a provincial electoral district located in the province of Quebec, Canada. Situated in the Mauricie region, the riding was created in 1792...

, but he is defeated by the official liberal incumbent . That would be his only attempt at politics. He retires as director of the Belgo in 1926.

Europe

Having accumulated a considerable fortune, Biermans settles in Europe, living in his houses in Paris, Monaco, Salneuve and Brussels, and managing his investments in many companies. Leaving Europe at the beginning of the Second World War, he lives near Montréal during the War, after which he returns to Europe. He makes donations to several institutions and leaves instructions for his fiduciairies that the rest of his fortune be donated after his death. He dies in 1953.

Honours

His donations brought him many honours. He was made Commander of the Légion d'honneur

Légion d'honneur

The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...

 (France), Commander of the Order of the Crown

Order of the Crown (Belgium)

The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...

 (Belgium), Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium), Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II

Order of Leopold II

The Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Léopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as king of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgium, incorporated into the Belgian awards system...

 (Belgium), Commander of the Royal Order of the Lion

Royal Order of the Lion (Belgium)

The Royal Order of the Lion was established by King Leopold II of Belgium on 9 April 1891, in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State, and was awarded for services to Congo and its ruler that did not deserve the award of the Order of the African Star and were not necessarily performed from...

 (Congo), Grand Officer of the Order of the Oak Crown

Order of the Oak Crown

The Order of the Oak Crown is an Order of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.-History:The Order of the Oak Crown was instituted by the Grand Duke-King William II, in 1841...

(Luxembourg). Streets are named after him in Shawinigan and in Herkenbosch. Buildings are named after him in Paris, Québec and Montréal.