Scrips

The scrip system came about in 1870 when the Manitoba act was passed, allowing 1,400,000 acres of land to be given to the Metis. Scrips were given to the Metis in two forms, either 160 dollars or 160 acres. However, the Metis could not use the land as a means of survival because there was no railroad or machinery for them so most Metis sold their land for a fraction of its worth. Chartered banks and land speculators were the ones that gained the most out of the scrip process by buying the land from the Metis at these low prices. As a result, the Metis moved further west into parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta. The Metis settled in St. Albert, Lac Ste. Anne, and Lac La Biche and established farms in long narrow strips called river lots. This method worked well because it allowed everyone to have river access and good land to farm and raise livestock on.