Canadian Confederation

Provinces and Territories

Key Terms

British American Land Company

Source

Advertisement for the British American Land Company.

The British American Land Company was created in London in 1832 to manage land in Lower Canada. It purchased over 800,000 acres of land in the Eastern Townships for approximately 120,000 pounds sterling. The company hoped in this way to encourage the immigration of British subjects to the region. Its aim was to boost the English-speaking population in Lower Canada.

This attempt to upset the ethnic balance in the new colony was sharply denounced by the Patriot Party and was referred to in the Ninety-two Resolutions adopted by the House of Assembly of Lower Canada.

From 1844 to 1855, A. T. Galt served as the commissioner of the British American Land Company, whose offices were set up in Sherbrooke.