Provinces and Territories · Drawing 06 of 42
Meeting in Charlottetown
Prince Edward Island — 1864
In 1864, leaders came to Charlottetown, some by steamship, to talk about uniting their colonies. Those talks led to the creation of Canada in 1867.
Look together
Can you find the steamship’s smokestack?
An idea to try
Hold a small family meeting: everyone suggests an activity, everyone listens, then you choose together.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
From September 1 to 9, 1864, delegates from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island met at Province House in Charlottetown to discuss a Maritime union. Ministers from the Province of Canada, who came aboard the steamship Queen Victoria, persuaded them to consider uniting all the British North American colonies. With a circus filling the hotels, the ship became a floating hotel for the Canadians who could not find beds ashore. Other conferences followed, leading to Confederation on July 1, 1867; Prince Edward Island joined only in 1873.
All the delegates were men, and no Indigenous or Black people took part in these talks. Talk with your child about what “reaching an agreement” means, then ask who should be invited to the table for a big decision.
Sources and context (3)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- The Canadian Encyclopedia — Charlottetown ConferenceConference held 1–9 September 1864 at Province House; Maritime union on the agenda; uninvited Province of Canada delegation persuaded delegates to work toward a union of all the colonies; circus-goers filled the hotels; the Queen Victoria, the Province of Canada steamship, served as a floating hotel; Confederation on 1 July 1867; all-male delegations; no Indigenous or Black representatives.
- Parks Canada — Province House National Historic Site: Culture and historyFirst conference on colonial union held at Province House in September 1864, in the legislative council chamber; talks led to Confederation in 1867; building closed for conservation in 2015.
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — Prince Edward Island fact sheetPrince Edward Island joined Confederation on July 1, 1873.
Source review: 2026-09-26. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.