Natural Resources Canada

The third phase of exploration in what is now Canada consisted of the initial penetration of the St. Lawrence valley. This was initiated by Jacques Cartier in two voyages - 1534 and 1535 to 1536. Bellenger (1583) made a later voyage of exploration extending Cartier's knowledge. The map also shows...

The fourth phase of exploration in what is now Canada consisted of Frobisher's three voyages (1576, 1577 and 1578) and the two voyages of Davis (1586 and 1587) made in search of a northwest passage to Asia. These voyages represented the initial penetration of the Arctic. The map also shows the...

The second phase of exploration of what is now Canada lasted from 1519 to 1533. During that period, explorers charted the Atlantic Coast in search of a western passage to Asia. This map shows the routes of four explorers: Fagundes (1519 to 1526), Verrazzano (1524), Gomes (1525) and Rut (1527)....

In 1741, along the Pacific coast, the first Russian probes reached the Aleutian Islands and the Alaskan mainland. These were the expeditions of Bering (1741) and Chirikov (1741). The map also shows the extent of territory known to Europeans and the navigation of all exploration routes in the...

To the south of what is now Canada, French military expeditions explored and mapped the Ohio River valley in the period 1739 to 1749. These expeditions were led by Le Moyne and Céleron (1739) and Céleron and Bonnécamps (1749). The map also shows the extent of territory known to Europeans and the...

Exploration in the period 1671 to 1686 was dominated by the return of the intendant, Jean Talon, to New France. In order to keep out the English and promote the fur trade to Montréal, he encouraged a series of expeditions, including exploration of the rivers flowing into James Bay. This map shows...

Exploration in the period 1673 to 1688 was dominated by the return of the intendant, Jean Talon, to New France. In order to keep out the English and promote the fur trade to Montréal, he encouraged a series of expeditions. The routes of nine expeditions are shown on this map: Louis Jolliet and...

The period 1691 to 1729 was a time of relative inactivity for exploration in areas of concern to New France and England. The main journeys were out of Louisiana to explore the Mississippi and its tributaries, and, much further north, there were some forays into Hudson Bay conducted or ordered by...

Exploration in the period 1668 to 1689 was initiated by the re-emergence of the English in James Bay. This map shows the routes of seven expeditions into inadequately known areas of Hudson Bay and James Bay: Gillam and Des Groseilliers (1668 to 1669), Bayly and Radisson (1670 and 1671), Bayly...

Between 1651 and 1664, except for a few trader's agents, missionaries were the principal explorers in the lower reaches of some of the major rivers flowing from the north into the St. Lawrence. This map shows the routes of four expeditions: Buteux and Godefroy (1651); Dablon and Druillettes...

In the period 1742 to 1749, the British renewed their search for a northwest passage. Part of this involved exploring the « East Main » – the eastern shore of Hudson and James Bays. Four exploration routes are shown: Middleton (1742), Mitchell and Longland (1744), Moor and Smith (1747) and Coats...

In the period between 1654 and 1670, missionaries were the principal explorers in the Great Lakes area. This map shows expeditions covering all parts of the Great Lakes except for southern Lake Michigan. The six expeditions shown are: Des Groseilliers (1654 to 1656), Des Groseilliers and Radisson...

Between 1654 and 1656, except for a few trader's agents, missionaries were the principal explorers in the Iroquois country (an area covering much of present-day southern Ontario). The map shows three explorer routes: Le Moyne (1654), Chaumonot and Ménard (1656) and Chaumonot (1656). The map also...

Exploration in the period 1731 to 1757 was dominated by the rapid thrust of French exploration into the western interior of Canada, particularly by Pierre Gaultier de la Vérendrye and his five sons who made nine expeditions between 1731 to 1743. As well, the map shows the exploration routes of...

Depicted on this map is British North America less than one hundred years after the fall of New France. It also shows the emergence of British influence prior to Confederation. British North America circa 1823 was comprised of Lower Canada, Upper Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward...

Depicted on this map is the extent of New France at its territorial height circa 1740 prior to its great territorial losses to British North America. Also shown on the map are the territorial claims, administrative divisions, and the distribution of population and settlement (including fur...

This map shows the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick united in a federal state. The provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick retain their established boundaries, and Canada is divided into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. New provisional boundaries are assigned to northern...

Canada had a relatively small area when created in 1867, but it then expanded greatly to become, by area, the second largest country in the world. This map is a composite of 18 Atlas maps which show territorial changes at specific times during the period 1867 to 1999. Not only did Canada as a...

Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory are acquired to form the Northwest Territories. The province of Manitoba is created. In 1877, boundaries of Manitoba are adjusted to conform to the Dominion Lands Survey System.

In 1871, British Columbia joins the federation as a province with the boundaries it attained in 1866. Canada’s long and diversified settlement history is reflected in the two distinct patterns of boundaries that differentiate between eastern and western Canada.