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| 30. THE CANADA LAND COMPANY |
| The Canada Land Company was in
1837 on the east side of Frederick Street between King and Palace (now
Front), in a building designed by John G. Howard. Perhaps more
interesting than its architecture was the company’s evolution. The War of 1812 had many immediate as well as long-term consequences. Particularly for those people in York who had their homes and lives upset, the process of rebuilding was long and expensive. However, as York was a colonial settlement, the home government of Britain had certain obligations. It was these obligations that John Galt was employed to pressure the government for on behalf of the colonists(1). The residents’ claims for losses and damages from the War had been ignored by Britain, such that by 1815 there was growing discontent(2). For a fee, Galt served as their spokesman, and managed to get the British government to pay a portion of the debt in 1820(3). However this was all they would pay unless the provincial government of Upper Canada would match their payments or take over some of the funding of the province(4). Galt determined that, since the colonial government had no capital, Crown and Clergy Land Reserves should be used to create revenue. This was to be done by establishing a land company, with Galt, the outspoken Scottish novelist, as its Superintendent(5). Land companies had been used in America and Australia to develop unpopulated regions(6). Its role was to attract settlers by preparing the land, providing employment for immigrants, making loans to settlers, promoting Canadian land overseas and improving on communication and agriculture in the province(7). At the request of Bishop Strachan, the Clergy Reserves were removed from the agreement(8). Therefore at the time of the company’s founding in August 1826, they owned 1 100 000 acres (including the Huron Tract), for which they paid sixteen annual payments of approximately 15 000 pounds sterling to the Receiver General of Upper Canada(9). Despite Stachan words of advice, Galt did not manage to endear himself to the Family Compact. The company directors in London lost faith in him, and Lieutenant-Governor Maitland saw him as unsound(10). He was later replaced by Thomas Mercer-Jones, future son-in-law of John Strachan(11). Opinion seems to be divided as to whether the Canada Land Company was beneficial to Upper Canada. From 1826 until 1950 it brought new life to land settlement, and created large amounts of capital from which one third could be used for public works(12). However its establishment coincided with the immigration of the 1830s which brought people regardless of their overpriced land lots. Also Reformers were suspicious of the English stockholders who controlled the company from across the ocean(13). |
Notes
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| © Town of York Historical Society, 2006- All rights reserved. |