Provinces and territories of Canada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Provinces and territories of Canada
Category	Federated state
Number	10 provinces 3 territories
Government	Constitutional monarchy

Canada is a huge country with ten provinces and three territories. These are like big regions or states that make up the country. They are all part of Canada under the rules of the Canadian Constitution.

Canada started in 1867 when three British areas—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (which split into Ontario and Quebec)—joined together. Over time, Canada grew and added more land and provinces. This made Canada the second-largest country in the world!

The main difference between a Canadian province and a territory is where they get their power. Provinces get their power directly from an important document called the Constitution Act, 1867. This means they have their own special powers that the national government can't easily change.

Territories, on the other hand, get their powers from the Parliament of Canada. This means the national government can change the rules for territories more easily. Provinces are seen as having their own "sovereignty" (their own power) in certain areas, and each province has a representative of the King or Queen, called a lieutenant governor. Territories are not "sovereign"; their powers are given to them by the national government. They have a commissioner who represents the national government.

Canada's Provinces: A Closer Look

Canada has ten provinces. These provinces have a lot of power over things like health care and education. They get money from the national government and also collect their own taxes.

Here's a table showing Canada's provinces with some interesting facts:

Canada's Territories: The North

Canada has three territories. They are different from provinces because their powers come from the national government, not directly from the Constitution. The territories cover a huge area in northern Canada, including all the islands north of the mainland.

Here's a table showing Canada's territories:

Where Do Canadians Live? Population Facts

Breakdown of Canada's population from the 2016 census by province/territory

Most of Canada's population lives near the border with the United States. The four biggest provinces by land area are Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. These are also the most populated provinces. Together, they hold about 86% of all Canadians!

The territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon) cover more than a third of Canada's land. But only about 0.3% of the population lives there. This means the territories are very sparsely populated.

Canada's population grew by 5% between 2006 and 2011. Almost all provinces and territories saw their populations increase. Nunavut grew the fastest, with a 12.7% increase. Alberta was next with 11.6% growth. Only New Brunswick saw a small decrease in its population.

Historically, Ontario and Quebec have always been the two largest provinces by population. They usually have more than 60% of Canada's total population. The population in the West has grown over time, while the population in Atlantic Canada has become a smaller part of the total.

How Canada Grew: Territorial Evolution

Territorial evolution of the borders and the names of Canada's provinces and territories

"O Canada we stand on guard for thee" Stained Glass, Yeo Hall, Royal Military College of Canada featuring arms of the Canadian provinces and territories as of 1965

When Canada was formed on July 1, 1867, the first provinces were Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Before this, Ontario and Quebec were one area called the Province of Canada.

Over the next few years, more provinces joined:

• Manitoba (1870)
• British Columbia (1871)
• Prince Edward Island (1873)

In 1870, a huge area called Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory was given to Canada. This land was then reorganized. Manitoba was created, and the rest became the North-West Territories. This huge territory covered most of what is now northern and western Canada.

In 1880, the British Arctic islands were also transferred to Canada, making the North-West Territories even bigger. In 1898, Yukon (originally called the Yukon Territory) was created from part of the North-West Territories.

On September 1, 1905, two new provinces were created from the North-West Territories: Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1912, the borders of Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba were expanded northward.

Newfoundland and Labrador was the last province to join Canada. It was a separate British colony for a long time. In 1949, after a vote by its people, Newfoundland (as it was then called) became Canada's tenth province. Its name was officially changed to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001.

In 1999, Nunavut was created from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories. Today, Yukon is in the western part of northern Canada, and Nunavut is in the east. These three territories are the least populated parts of Canada, even though they cover a huge area.

How Canada is Governed

Provinces have a lot of power over important public services like health care, education, and transportation within their borders. They get money from the national government to help pay for these services. The national government can also influence these areas. For example, to get health care funding, provinces must follow certain national rules, like making sure everyone can get necessary medical care.

Most provinces have a single law-making body, usually called the Legislative Assembly. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador call theirs the House of Assembly, and Quebec calls its the National Assembly. The leader of each province's government is called the premier. The premier is usually the head of the political party that has the most seats in the assembly.

In the territories, the leader is also called the premier in Yukon. However, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have a special system where there are no political parties at the territorial level. The King's representative in each province is the lieutenant governor. In the territories, there is a commissioner who represents the national government.

Here's a comparison of how the national, provincial, and territorial governments work:

Buildings Where Laws Are Made

These are the buildings where the provincial and territorial governments meet to make laws:

• 

  Alberta Legislature Building

• 

  British Columbia Parliament Buildings

• 

  Manitoba Legislative Building

• 

  New Brunswick Legislative Building

• 

  Newfoundland and Labrador Confederation Building

• 

  Nova Scotia Province House

• 

  Ontario Legislative Building

• 

  Prince Edward Island Province House

• 

  Quebec Parliament Building

• 

  Saskatchewan Legislative Building

Territorial Legislature Buildings

• 

  Northwest Territories Legislative Building

• 

  Nunavut Legislative Building

• 

  Yukon Legislative Building

Map of Canada's Divisions

Political Parties in the Provinces

The governing political party or parties in each Canadian province. Multicoloured provinces are governed by a coalition or minority government consisting of more than one party.

Map depicting the elected provincial political parties represented at the riding level. Updated after the 2023 Manitoba general election.

Many provinces have political parties that are similar to the national parties. However, these provincial parties are usually not officially connected to the national parties that share their name. For example, provincial Conservative parties are not formally linked to the national Conservative Party of Canada.

But there are exceptions:

• Provincial New Democratic Parties are fully connected to the national New Democratic Party.
• The Liberal Party of Canada is connected to the Liberal parties in Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island).

Some provinces have their own unique political parties, like the Alberta Party and Saskatchewan Party.

In Quebec, the political scene is a bit different. The main debate is between parties that want Quebec to be an independent country (like the Parti Québécois) and those that want it to stay part of Canada (like the Quebec Liberal Party). The Coalition Avenir Québec tries to stay neutral on this question.

Currently, the Liberals in Yukon have a minority government. This means they don't have enough seats to pass laws on their own, so they work with the Yukon New Democratic Party.

Here's a table showing the current governments in each province and territory:

Special Canadian Sites in France

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial are important sites in France. They are considered Canadian territory for ceremonial reasons. This means they are special places for Canada, even though they are in France and follow French law.

Future Provinces and Territories

Since Canada was formed, there have been ideas for creating new provinces and territories. To create a new province, the Canadian Constitution needs to be changed. This is a big process. But to create a new territory, only a law passed by Parliament is needed, which is simpler.

In 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin said he thought all three territories might become provinces "eventually." He mentioned how important they are to Canada, especially for showing Canada's ownership in the Arctic. This area might become more important as the climate changes.

See also

In Spanish: Organización territorial de Canadá para niños

• List of regions of Canada
• Provincial and territorial museums of Canada