List of proposed provinces and territories of Canada

When Canada was formed in 1867 its provinces were a relatively narrow strip in the southeast, with vast territories in the interior. It grew by adding British Columbia in 1871, Prince Edward Island in 1873, the British Arctic Islands in 1880, and Newfoundland in 1949. Meanwhile, its provinces grew both in size and number at the expense of its territories.
Evolution of the borders and names of Canada's provinces and territories over time

Since Canadian Confederation in 1867, there have been several proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories. Since 1982, the current Constitution of Canada requires an amendment ratified by seven provincial legislatures representing at least half of the national population for the creation of a new province[1] while the creation of a new territory requires only an act of Parliament.[2] Because opening up the constitution to amendment could entice provinces to demand other changes too in exchange for such support, this is seen to be a politically unfeasible option. The newest province, Newfoundland and Labrador, joined Canada in 1949 by an act of the British Parliament before the 1982 patriation of the constitution.

  1. ^ "Constitution Act, 1982, s. 42(1)(f)". CanLII. CanLII. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  2. ^ Nicholson, Norman L. (1979). The boundaries of the Canadian Confederation. McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-0-7705-1742-7.