List Of Oldest Buildings In Canada
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

This is a list of the oldest surviving buildings and structures of significance in each province and territory of
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.


Alberta

First Nations peoples in Alberta were generally nomadic and did not create permanent structures, however they did often occupy the same site annually for many generations, and created permanent markers in the form of tipi rings and
medicine wheels To some indigenous peoples of North America, the medicine wheel is a metaphor for a variety of spiritual concepts. A medicine wheel may also be a stone monument that illustrates this metaphor. Historically, most medicine wheels follow the basic ...
. The first Europeans to build in Alberta were the
fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
rs of the
North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...
who constructed the first
trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...
s in Alberta at
Fort Chipewyan Fort Chipewyan , commonly referred to as Fort Chip, is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada, within the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, app ...
and
Fort Vermilion Fort Vermilion is a hamlet on the Peace River in northern Alberta, Canada, within Mackenzie County. Established in 1788, Fort Vermilion shares the title of oldest European settlement in Alberta with Fort Chipewyan. Fort Vermilion contains many ...
in 1788. Few buildings from the fur trade era remain. There is said to be 25 buildings built prior to 1882 still surviving in Alberta. Most buildings considered "historic" in Alberta are from the post-railway era (e.g. after 1885 in Calgary, after 1891 in Edmonton). The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
constructed prior to 1900.


British Columbia

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
constructed prior to 1900.


Manitoba

The following is a list of buildings and structures in
Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
constructed prior to 1900.


New Brunswick

Before 1784,
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
was part of the colony of
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
and the majority of the population was aboriginal. The native populations of the land that is now New Brunswick were a nomadic people and thus there are few remains of their settlements. However, in 1784 New Brunswick became its own colony due to an increasingly non-aboriginal population. The area was mostly forest until
United Empire Loyalists United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...
started to arrive, and
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an-style buildings were not constructed for the most part until after their arrival. Many
Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...
homes and settlements were destroyed by the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
during the expulsion of the Acadians known as the
Great Expulsion The Expulsion of the Acadians, also known as the Great Upheaval, the Great Expulsion, the Great Deportation, and the Deportation of the Acadians (french: Le Grand Dérangement or ), was the forced removal, by the British, of the Acadian pe ...
from 1755 to 1763. Acadians were a people of French descent who lived in New Brunswick,
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...
and Nova Scotia for over a century before the British took over the lands that were
New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spai ...
. After the expulsion there was a short wave of settlement by a peoples known as the
New England Planters The New England Planters were settlers from the New England colonies who responded to invitations by the lieutenant governor (and subsequently governor) of Nova Scotia, Charles Lawrence, to settle lands left vacant by the Bay of Fundy Campaign ( ...
. They were a small group without a lot of remaining architecture. The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
constructed prior to 1890.


Newfoundland and Labrador

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
constructed prior to 1860.


Northwest Territories


Nova Scotia

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
constructed prior to 1830.


Nunavut

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Nunavut Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...
constructed prior to 1960.


Ontario

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
constructed prior to 1830, excluding the cities of
Markham Markham may refer to: It may also refer to brand of of clothing which originates from South Africa which saw it's establishment in 1873. Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * ...
,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, and the
Region of Waterloo The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo (KWC or Tri-Cities), and the townships of North Dumf ...
.


Quebec

The first Europeans to arrive in Quebec were settlers from
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. They founded
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
in 1608 and erected there the first foundations such as the Habitation made of wood and set up by
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
. Despite the founding of other significant settlements in
New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spai ...
in the 17th century, notably
Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...
in 1634 and
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
in 1642, there are only a few 17th-century buildings that still survive outside the
Capitale-Nationale Capitale-Nationale (; en, National Capital region) is one of the 17 List of Quebec regions, administrative regions of Quebec. It is anchored by the provincial capital, Quebec City, and is largely coextensive with that city's Communauté métropol ...
region. Therefore, the oldest buildings still standing in Quebec are found heavily in and around Quebec City. All such buildings date from the French regime and are protected as historical monuments under the law enforced by the Ministry of Culture and Communication of Quebec."Oups... - Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec"
''www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca''. The following is a list of old buildings and structures in
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
constructed prior to 1750.


Saskatchewan

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
constructed prior to 1900.


Yukon

The following is a list of oldest buildings and structures in
Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...
constructed prior to 1900.


See also

*
Architecture of Canada The architecture of Canada is, with the exception of that of Canadian First Nations, closely linked to the techniques and styles developed in Canada, Europe and the United States. However, design has long needed to be adapted to Canada's climate ...
*
List of heritage buildings in Vancouver The following is a list of buildings and structures classified as Schedule "A" and Schedule "B" heritage buildings by the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. These are ''designated'' heritage buildings, and as such are legally protected ...
*
List of oldest buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia This is a list of oldest buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada that were constructed before 1935. 1750-1799 1800-1849 1850-1899 1900-1935 See also * History of Nova Scotia * List of historic places in the Hal ...
*
List of oldest buildings and structures in Toronto This is a list of the oldest buildings and structures in Toronto, that were constructed before 1920. The history of Toronto dates back to Indigenous settlements in the region approximately 12,000 years ago. However, the oldest standing structures ...
*
Gothic Revival architecture in Canada Gothic Revival architecture in Canada is an historically influential style, with many prominent examples. The Gothic Revival was imported to Canada from Britain and the United States in the early 19th century, and rose to become the most popular st ...


References


Architecture in Canada
''
The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available fo ...
'' *Kalman, Harold D. ''A History of Canadian Architecture.'' Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1994.
Canada by Design: Parliament Hill, Ottawa
at Library and Archives Canada * Baker, Marilyn, ''Manitoba's Third Legislative Building: Symbol in Stone:The Art and Politics of a Public Building,'' Hyperion Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba 1986 * Cameron, Stanley, ''Stones of History: Canada's Houses of Parliament,'' Film Board of Canada * Denby & Kilbourn, ''Toronto Observed: Its Architecture, Patrons, and History,''Oxford University Press, Toronto 1986 * Edwards, Gregory, ''Hidden Cities: Art & Design in Architectural Details of Vancouver & Victoria,'' Talonbooks, Vancouver, BC 1991.
Emporis.com
* Kalman, Phillips and Ward, ''Exploring Vancouver: The Essential Architectural Guide'', UBC Press, Vancouver 1993 * Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, ''Architectural Sculpture in America'', unpublished manuscript * Maitland, Hucker & Ricketts, ''A Guide to Canadian Architectural Styles,'' broadview press, Peterborough, ON 1992 * McHugh, Patricia, ''Toronto Architecture: A City Guide,'' McClelland & Stewart Inc., Toronto 1989 * McMullen, Barbara, ''Ottawa's Terra Cotta Architecture: Two Walking Tours'', Heritage Ottawa, Ottawa, 2003
skyscraperpage.com
* Taggart, Jim, ''The Architecture of Downtown Victoria,'' Blue Steps - Pacific Walking Tour Guides, Vancouver, BC 2000 * The
Notman Photographic Archives The Notman Photographic Archives (french: Archives photographiques Notman) is an archive of photographic images originally collected by photographer William Notman. It is conserved by the McCord Museum of Canadian History in Montreal, Quebec. Ins ...
.


External links


Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada
 – biographies of Canadian architects and lists of their buildings from 1800 to 1950. {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Oldest Buildings In Canada