As a Franco-Ontarian, you are part of a community going back more than 400 years. Starting in 1613, French explorer Samuel de Champlain travelled – and mapped – parts of Ontario.
Why did French come to Ontario?
French migration into Canada West/Ontario did not accelerate until the second half of the 19th century, farmers from Canada East/Quebec began to migrate in search of fertile land in Eastern Ontario, and along the Canadian Pacific Railway north of Lake Nipissing and Lake Huron.
What is the oldest community in Ontario?
1668 – Father Marquette founds Sault Ste. Marie, noteworthy as the oldest surviving permanent European settlement in both Ontario and neighbouring Michigan.
When did Canada start using French?
Important dates. 1867: The Constitution Act recognizes the use of two languages, English and French, in Parliament and before the federal courts.
Who were the first settlers in Ontario?
The earliest known inhabitants of the Ontario region included the Iroquoian-speaking agricultural Huron, Tionontati, and Erie peoples of the south and the Algonquian-speaking hunting Algonquin, Ojibwa, and Cree peoples of the north.
What percentage of Ontario is French?
4.7%
In 2011, this number stood at 611,500. The Francophone population has increased by 10,915 since 2011, up by about 2%. Francophones make up 4.7% of the Ontario population, down slightly (-0.1%) since 2011.
Chart 1 – Ontario’s Francophone population.
| Year | Francophone Population | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 622,415 | 4.7% |
Who owned Canada before the French?
Britain
Britain and Europe first set up colonies in the area that is now Canada in the 1600s. The fur trade was a hugely important industry for the early colonists. In 1759, Britain invaded and conquered France’s North American colonies, making northern North America entirely British.
What was Ontario’s original name?
Ontario acquired its name from the Iroquois word “kanadario”, which translates into “sparkling” water. The earliest recording of the name Ontario was in 1641 where it was used to describe a mass of land on the north shore of the easternmost part of the Great Lakes.
What is Ontario’s old name?
Upper Canada
Initially called Upper Canada, Ontario became the name of the province when it and Quebec separated in 1867.
Where do most seniors live in Ontario?
With 30% of the population being at the retirement age, and a relatively low cost of living, Collingwood is one of the most sought-after places to retire in Ontario. Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) is a 68-bed hospital located in Collingwood.
Who arrived in Canada first French or English?
In 1604, the first European settlement north of Florida was established by French explorers Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain, first on St. Croix Island (in present-day Maine), then at Port-Royal, in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia). In 1608 Champlain built a fortress at what is now Québec City.
Was French or English first in Canada?
French
The French colonized Canada first. However, the British took over all French colonies in the Maritimes and Québec through different wars, including the Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713) and the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763).
Why is Canada so French?
During the 17th century, French settlers originating mainly from the west and north of France settled Canada. It is from them that the French Canadian ethnicity was born. During the 17th to 18th centuries, French Canadians expanded across North America and colonized various regions, cities, and towns.
Was Ontario created by the French?
In the summer of 1604, a group of settlers which included Samuel de Champlain founded a French settlement in North America, on Sainte-Croix Island, Sainte-Croix River (Bay of Fundy). Champlain founded Quebec four years later and, in 1610, the first French explorers came to what is now Ontario.
What is the oldest town in Canada?
Annapolis Royal, N.S., is Canada’s oldest town, but it only looks like it hasn’t changed in centuries. A new documentary shows it was a rundown “dump” in the 1970s. Only through a determined effort from locals was its historic beauty restored.
Who was on Canadian land first?
Traditionally, First Nations in Canada were peoples who lived south of the tree line, and mainly south of the Arctic Circle. There are 634 recognized First Nations governments or bands across Canada. Roughly half are located in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia.
What is the most French city in Ontario?
Franco-Ontarians are mainly concentrated in eastern and northeastern Ontario in key Francophone cities like Ottawa, Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins. East of Ottawa, the counties of Prescott-Russell and Stormont Dundas Glengarry are rich in Francophone culture.
Is Toronto more English or French?
While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language, over 160 languages are spoken in the city.
Is Ontario more French or English?
The demographic picture varies by province or territory
| Province or territory | French-speaking population | English-speaking population |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 550,595 (4.1%) | 12,440,795 (93.4%) |
| Manitoba | 40,978 (3.2%) | 1,204,798 (95.5%) |
| Saskatchewan | 14,440 (1.3%) | 1,061,110 (98%) |
| Alberta | 79,838 (2%) | 3,888,983 (96.6%) |
What parts of Canada did France own?
The other four colonies within New France were Hudson’s Bay to the north, Acadia and Newfoundland to the east, and Louisiana far to the south. Canada became the most developed of the five colonies of New France.
Canada (New France)
| Canada | |
|---|---|
| Governor | |
| History | |
| • French territorial possession | 1535 |
| • Founding of Quebec | 1608 |
What did the French call Canada?
Starting in the 16th century, French fur traders and brides-to-be sought their fortunes in the colonies—stoking tension with indigenous people. In 1534, Jacques Cartier began the first of three expeditions to explore the territory that would briefly be known as New France.