Canada Company

The Canada Company
Company typeChartered company
IndustryLand development
Founded1826 (by royal charter)
FounderJohn Galt
Defunct1953
FateDissolved
HeadquartersNo. 13, St. Helen's Place, Bishopsgate Street, London, England
Number of locations
Huron Tract, Queen's Bush, Clergy Reserves
Area served
Upper Canada
Key people
John Galt, William Dunlop, Thomas Mercer Jones, William Allan, Daniel Lizars
ServicesLand, roads, mills
Total equity2,000,000 acres (8,100 km2) of land

The Canada Company was a private British land development company that was established to aid in the colonization of a large part of Upper Canada. It was incorporated by royal charter on August 19, 1826,[1] under the Canada Company Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 75) of the British parliament,[2] which was given royal assent on June 27, 1825.[3] It was originally formed to acquire and develop Upper Canada's undeveloped clergy reserves and Crown reserves,[2] which the company bought in 1827 for £341,000 ($693,000) from the Province of Upper Canada.[4]

Founded by John Galt, who became its first Superintendent, the company was successful in populating an area called the Huron Tract – an achievement later called "the most important single attempt at settlement in Canadian history".[5]

It is unrelated to the modern-day Canadian charity of the same name, founded in 2006, which assists former Canadian military members and their spouses regain civilian employment after service in the Canadian Armed Forces.[6]

  1. ^ Canada Company: Charter of incorporation, 19th August, 1826. London: W. Marchant. 1832.
  2. ^ a b An Act to enable his Majesty to grant to a company, to incorporated by charter, to be called "The Canada Company", certain lands in the province of Upper Canada, and to invest the said company with certain powers and privileges, and other privileges relating thereto, 1825, c. 75 , later amended by 1916 c. xiv
  3. ^ "No. 18154". The London Gazette. July 12, 1825. p. 1217.
  4. ^ Armstrong 1985, p. 253.
  5. ^ "Wellington County". Historic Plaques. Wayne Cook. 2011. Retrieved March 21, 2017. Plaque #4
  6. ^ "About Canada Company". Canada Company. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.