Territorial Evolution, 1889

Canada

By 1889, the Ontario-Manitoba boundary dispute had been settled, with the disputed area going to Ontario.

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Photograph of Hudson's Bay Company Fort at Portage La Prairie

Ontario

Between Ontario and Manitoba, there was still a disputed area of territory (that included the towns of Prince Arthur's Landing and Kenora), in which more and more people were settling. There had been an attempt to settle the dispute in 1878. Three arbitrators had been chosen. Their conclusions, called the Award, had been accepted by the province of Ontario, but the federal government had not passed the required laws, so the Award was not binding.

In 1880, the province of Manitoba extended its boundaries, and the federal government confirmed them in 1881. But the province of Ontario did not agree with these boundaries which were described as extending to the boundaries of Ontario, because Ontario officials believed that recognizing these boundaries would, in effect, give the disputed area to Manitoba.

There were two major reasons that made the disputed area attractive to both provinces. The first was the port on Lake Superior, and the second was the timber in the area. Because of the dispute, there was a lot of confusion in the area. Rat Portage, a town in the area claimed by Ontario, was incorporated as a Manitoba town in 1882. The government of the area was completely confused: it was hard to find out who had title to land, there were no civil courts, there was no registry office to record deeds, and there was no timber agent to protect the forest.

The dispute was finally brought to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. In 1884, this Committee decided that the 1878 Award was just, so it was incorporated into the Canada (Ontario Boundary) Act of 1889. The boundary of Ontario was extended west to Lake of the Woods, and north to the Albany River.

The animation Territorial Evolution 1867 to 1999 shows sequentially the history of the political boundary changes in Canada from Confederation to the creation of Nunavut.

• Territorial Evolution, 1867 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1870 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1871 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1873 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1874 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1876 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1880 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1881 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1882 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1886 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1895 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1897 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1898 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1901 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1905 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1912 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1920 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1927 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1949 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1999 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1867 to 1999 Map | Read about this map

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