Settlement
At the turn of the nineteenth century the federal government of Canada began an active campaign to settle its western regions. Facilitated by the completion of the
Canadian Pacific Railway, between 1895 and 1914 over a million settlers, from within the Dominion, from the United States and abroad, ventured to this "Last Best West."
The western settlement campaign was so successful that by 1914, nearly one in every 4 Canadians was residing in the West, many in the new province of Alberta. These new citizens all came from varying backgrounds some settled in large cultural or ethnic blocs,
while others came alone, sending for their families once they had established themselves.
There were Mennonites who came from Russia via the Netherlands, Scandinavians who came via the United States,
Ukrainians, Germans,
Americans, Polacks, British, Dutch, and many others. There were many reasons for leaving their homelands limited prospects, religious or political persecution, even lack of farmland or employment. The price of
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quick links:
- New Beginnings: Here we would like to share with you stories of the trials and tribulations faced by these early
settlers
- New Communities: Here we would like to share with you the story of how many of these communities developed
- First Peoples & Settlers: This society was "...based on a close economic partnership between Indian and white and extensive intermarriage," and its decline "...is to be regretted, for the blending of European and Indian culture could have been an enriching human experience."
- Adventurous Albertans: In this section we would like to profile some of
the Adventurous Albertans that contributed to the building of the province
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land in Canada was cheap and many came with hopes of building a better life for their families in a land that promised prosperity and religious and political freedom. However, once they had arrived in their new homeland and staked their land claims in the west, life was not always easy. They arrived only with what they could carry with them from their homelands. Many knew little of the Canadian climate, geography,
or even the English language. As a result, many had to adapt their own knowledge to the practicalities of life on the
prairies especially when building their first home, cultivating the land and providing food for their families. Here we would like to share with you the story not only of who exactly came to Alberta and why but how they adjusted to their new homeland and helped to build new communities and the foundations of this province.
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