First Peoples Arrive
Early descendants of Canada's aboriginal people cross the Bering land bridge from east Asia into North America.
Early descendants of Canada's aboriginal people cross the Bering land bridge from east Asia into North America.
Viking explorers are believed to be the first Europeans to visit North America and establish L’Anse aux Meadows settlement on the island of Newfoundland.
Foundation of the Iroquois Confederacy, considered the high point of "pre-contact" aboriginal civilization.
Italian explorer John Cabot claims the island of Newfoundland for England.
French explorer Jacques Cartier sails into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and claims the Gaspé Peninsula for France. Early attempts to found permanent French settlements fail.
Explorer Samuel de Champlain establishes first French settlement on St. Croix Island. In 1605, the colony is relocated to Port-Royal.
British explorer Christopher Newport establishes Jamestown as first permanent British colony in North America.
Founding of Quebec City on the St. Lawrence River heralds first permanent French settlement in North America.
The city of Montreal, then known as Ville-Marie, is founded by Paul de Chomedey Sieur de Maisonneuve.
New France becomes a royal colony of the French Empire.
The Hudson's Bay Company is founded by Britain's King Charles II. The company is given control of a vast new territory known as Rupert's Land, comprising much of northern North America.
The North American front in the War of the Spanish Succession sees French and British forces battle for control of Atlantic colonies on the east coast of North America.
The signing of the Treaty of Utrecht ends Queen Anne's War. France cedes the island of Newfoundland, the colony of Acadia, and its settlements on Hudson's Bay territory to England.
British expel French settlers from Acadia.
Colonies of the British Empire begin using the Gregorian calendar, abandoning the old Julian calendar.
The North American front in the Seven Years War sees France and England battle for control of New France.
The decisive Battle of the Plains of Abraham results in British victory in the French and Indian War.
Treaty of Paris ends the Seven Years War. France surrenders New France, now known as Quebec, to Britain.
A Royal Proclamation by Britain's King George III establishes general procedures for obtaining British control of aboriginal land.
Britain passes the Quebec Act, which permits the the continuation of the French language, legal system and Catholic religion in the former New France.
13 British colonies in eastern North America revolt against colonial rule and form an independent country known as the United States of America. Loyalists flee to Quebec and Britain's Atlantic colonies.
Britain passes Constitution Act, dividing Quebec into two colonies: Upper Canada (English) and Lower Canada (French).
British explorer Alexander Mackenzie crosses the Rocky Mountains and claims the Pacific coast of North America for Britain.
British explorer Simon Fraser founds the Rocky Mountain settlement of Fort McLeod (in modern-day British Columbia) as the region's first permanent white settlement.
War of 1812: Britain and the United States battle for control of eastern North America.
The Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812. Both Britain and the United States agree to re-establish the "status quo ante bellum" and return to the pre-1812 state of affairs.
The City of Toronto is incorporated.
Britain's Slavery Abolition Act takes effect, emancipating all slaves within the British Empire.
In response to growing unrest in the Canadian colonies, Governor Lord Durham releases a report recommending the merging of Upper and Lower Canada.
Britain passes an Act of Union unites Upper and Lower Canada into the United Province of Canada with a single parliamentary-style government.
The British Crown Colony of British Columbia is established on the Pacific coast.
Charlottetown Conference sees politicians from the United Province of Canada and Britain's Maritime colonies begin talks over a possible political union.
The British North America Act takes effect, uniting the former United Province of Canada (now split into Quebec and Ontario) with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and forming a new self-governing colony, the Dominion of Canada. The modern constitution of Canada takes effect.
Negotiations between Canada, Britain, and the Hudson's Bay Company conclude with the HBC signing a "deed of surrender" that transfers control of their massive Rupert's Land and North West Territories to Canada.
The Dominion Notes Act is passed establishing a uniform Canadian currency (the Canadian Dollar) across Canada.
Manitoba is carved from the Rupert's Land territory to become the fifth province of Canada. The remaining land becomes known as the Northwest Territories.
Britain and the United States sign the Treaty of Washington, solidifying peace between their nations and removing all remaining British troops from North America.
British Columbia becomes the sixth province of Canada.
Prince Edward Island becomes the seventh province of Canada.
The Northwest Mounted Police, precursor to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, are founded.
The Indian Act is passed by the Parliament of Canada, founding the modern system of Indian reservations.
The federal government authorizes the construction of the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway.
A militia known as the Royal Canadian Regiment is founded as the first permanent regiment of what will become the Canadian Army.
The symbolic "last spike" is driven in Craigellachie, British Columbia, completing the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The city of Vancouver is incorporated.
The Yukon is separated from the Northwest Territories to become Canada's second territory.
Canadian troops are sent to fight for the British in the second South African Boer War.
Canada sends its first-ever national team to the 1904 summer Olympics in St. Louis.
Alberta and Saskatchewan are separated from the Northwest Territories to become the eighth and ninth provinces of Canada.
Passage of the Naval Service Act creates the Royal Canadian Navy.
Canadian troops fight under British command during the First World War. Fighting officially ends on November 11, 1918.
Roberta MacAdams Price of Alberta becomes the first woman elected to sit in a Canadian provincial parliament.
Women are granted the right to vote in Canadian federal elections. Provinces follow suit at different times between 1916 and 1940.
Canada becomes one of the founding members of the League of Nations.
Dr. Frederick Banting becomes the first Canadian to win a Nobel Prize for helping discover insulin.
The Royal Canadian Air Force is established.
A stock market crash in the United States triggers a worldwide "Great Depression"
The Statute of Westminster grants Canada political independence from Britain, including the right to an independent foreign policy.
Canada declares war on Germany and sends troops to fight in World War II.
Canadian troops participate in the decisive D-Day invasion of Normandy, France.
The European theatre of World War II ends with the surrender of Germany.
The Pacific Theatre of World War II ends with the surrender of the Japanese Empire. Canada is one of the signatories on the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.
The Canadian Army is founded, incorporating previous militias and regiments under a single land force command.
Newfoundland becomes the 10th and (to date) final province of Canada.
Canada becomes one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Canadians can no longer make appeals to British courts. The Supreme Court of Canada becomes Canada's highest judicial body.
Canadians fight in the Korean War under United Nations command.
Vincent Massey is sworn in as the first Canadian-born governor general of Canada.
Canada and the United States co-found the North American Aerospace Defense Command to jointly protect the security of North American airspace.
The election of Liberal Jean Lesage as prime minister of Quebec heralds the beginning of Quebec's "quiet revolution" of secularization and modernization.
American nuclear weapons begin being stationed in Canada.
The Maple Leaf becomes Canada's official flag.
Canada celebrates its centennial.
The passage of the Official Languages Act makes Canada an officially bilingual country with French and English as its two official languages.
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau evokes the martial law powers of the War Measures Act to crack down on separatist terrorists in Quebec following the assassination of vice-premier Pierre Laporte.
Montreal becomes the first Canadian city to host the summer Olympic games.
Quebec voters reject a referendum on separation from Canada.
Queen Elizabeth II signs the Canadian Constitution Act, transferring control of the former British North America Act — Canada's constitution — to Canada, thereby ending any remaining British political power over Canada. The revised version contains a new Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The last American nuclear weapons are removed from Canada, ending a denuclearization phase.
Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in outer space.
A free trade agreement between Canada and the United States is approved. Mexico later joins the free trade bloc, forming the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
Canadians participate in the first Persian Gulf War to expel Iraq from Kuwait.
Catherine Callbeck of Prince Edward Island becomes the first woman to be elected premier of a Canadian province.
Quebec voters narrowly reject a second referendum on separation from Canada.
Nunavut is separated from the Northwest Territories to become Canada's third (and final) territory.
Canada participates in NATO air strikes against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Canadian troops are deployed to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban regime and Islamic terrorists.
Canada ends its combat mission in Afghanistan.
Canada celebrates its 150th birthday.
The deadly respiratory disease known as COVID-19 wreaks havoc around the world, and kills nearly 30,000 Canadians.