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What is the history of Ontario, Canada?
People, Pictures, Old Postcards and Stories From the Past
Explore Ontario, Canada. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures and genealogy.
"Ontario is Canada's most populous and second-largest province. It stretches from Canada's southernmost point at Middle Island in Lake Erie in the south, to the Manitoba-Ontario border on Hudson Bay in the north, and from the banks of the St. Lawrence River in the east, to the Manitoba border in the west. The name Ontario, from a Huron word sometimes translated as meaning "beautiful lake" or "beautiful water," is apt, since lakes cover 17 per cent of the province's total area of just over one million km2." www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
"Ontario acquired its name from the Iroquois word “kanadario”, which translates into “sparkling” water. The earliest recording of the name Ontario was in 1641 where it was used to describe a mass of land on the north shore of the easternmost part of the Great Lakes. The British settlers had originally called the land that covered Quebec, Ontario, and part of the United States all as Quebec. It wasn’t until the British enacted the Constitutional Act in 1791 that Ontario would be known as the land upstream from the St. Lawrence River, or Upper Canada, and Quebec considered the land downstream from the St. Lawrence River, known as Lower Canada. In 1867, Ontario and Quebec officially became separate provinces." www.nrcan.gc.ca
"Ontario acquired its name from the Iroquois word “kanadario”, which translates into “sparkling” water. The earliest recording of the name Ontario was in 1641 where it was used to describe a mass of land on the north shore of the easternmost part of the Great Lakes. The British settlers had originally called the land that covered Quebec, Ontario, and part of the United States all as Quebec. It wasn’t until the British enacted the Constitutional Act in 1791 that Ontario would be known as the land upstream from the St. Lawrence River, or Upper Canada, and Quebec considered the land downstream from the St. Lawrence River, known as Lower Canada. In 1867, Ontario and Quebec officially became separate provinces." www.nrcan.gc.ca
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- 1774 - Quebec Act passed, Ontario region added to Quebec Province
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1784 - Over 9,000 United Empire Loyalists settled in (now) southern Ontario
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1791 - Upper Canada founded (future Ontario)
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm 
www.freeusandworldmaps.com- (1812 - 1814) War of 1812, Upper Canada chief target of Americans due to large population of American immigrants
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1841 - Upper and Lower Canada united by Act of Union to form Province of Canada; Upper Canada became Canada West, Lower Canada became Canada East
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1867 - New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined Ontario and Quebec in the new Dominion of Canada; Honourable Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau appointed first lieutenant-governor; Pierre-Joseph-Oliver Chauveau became first premier
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ pqztimeln.htm - 1869 - The Ontario Government asks for an appropriation to erect and asylum for the 1,000 Canadian lunatics.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 30, 1869 - 1871--Population of Ontario 1,620,851
www.statcan.gc.ca - 1873
ONTARIO, a province of the Dominion of Canada, bounded on the N.E. and E. by the province of Quebec; on the S.E., S.S.W. and W. by the River St....Read MORE... - 1875 - Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway began at Fort William, Ontario
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1884 - Boundary dispute resolved between Ontario and Manitoba
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1886 - The first Workman's Compensation Act was passed in Ontario
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm 
Birds Eye View of Barrie, Ont. Canada- 1906 - Hydro-Electric of Ontario was created, first publicly owned electric utility in the world
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm 
International Bridge showing Customs House, Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada
1916 - July 29 – In Ontario, Canada, a lightning strike ignites a forest fire that destroys the towns of Cochrane and Matheson, killing 233.
www.wikipedia.org
July 29, 1916
Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada
Collegiate Institute- 1954 - First crude oil reached Sarnia, Ontario through pipeline from Edmonton
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm - 1965 - 10,000 postal workers in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia struck for higher wages
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
Old Photos, Pictures, Advertisements and Postcards from Ontario, Canada
, Ontario, Canada
www.freeusandworldmaps.com
, Ontario, Canada
Birds Eye View of Barrie, Ont. Canada
, Ontario, Canada
International Bridge showing Customs House, Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada
, Ontario, Canada
Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada
Collegiate Institute
History and News of Ontario, Canada
Add History/News-
1774 - Quebec Act passed, Ontario region added to Quebec Province
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1784 - Over 9,000 United Empire Loyalists settled in (now) southern Ontario
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1791 - Upper Canada founded (future Ontario)
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
(1812 - 1814) War of 1812, Upper Canada chief target of Americans due to large population of American immigrants
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1841 - Upper and Lower Canada united by Act of Union to form Province of Canada; Upper Canada became Canada West, Lower Canada became Canada East
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1867 - New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined Ontario and Quebec in the new Dominion of Canada; Honourable Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau appointed first lieutenant-governor; Pierre-Joseph-Oliver Chauveau became first premier
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ pqztimeln.htm
-
1869 - The Ontario Government asks for an appropriation to erect and asylum for the 1,000 Canadian lunatics.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 30, 1869
-
1871--Population of Ontario 1,620,851
www.statcan.gc.ca
-
1873
ONTARIO, a province of the Dominion of Canada, bounded on the N.E. and E. by the province of Quebec; on the S.E., S.S.W. and W. by the River St.... Read MORE...
-
1875 - Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway began at Fort William, Ontario
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1884 - Boundary dispute resolved between Ontario and Manitoba
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1886 - The first Workman's Compensation Act was passed in Ontario
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1906 - Hydro-Electric of Ontario was created, first publicly owned electric utility in the world
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1916 - July 29 – In Ontario, Canada, a lightning strike ignites a forest fire that destroys the towns of Cochrane and Matheson, killing 233.
www.wikipedia.org
July 29, 1916
-
1954 - First crude oil reached Sarnia, Ontario through pipeline from Edmonton
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
-
1965 - 10,000 postal workers in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia struck for higher wages
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ province/ onztimeln.htm
Ontario, Canada Genealogy
Ancestors Who Were Born in Ontario, Canada
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