From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 17 of 36
Families arrive by ship
Around 1910
In the early 1900s, families from Europe arrived at the port of Québec with their luggage. Some stayed nearby; others travelled onward. Each family brought its own story.
Look together
What are the people carrying as they come down the gangway?
An idea to try
Look together at where the people in your family and your neighbours come from. On a drawing of a ship, write or draw one object each of them would have brought.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Québec’s port was an important gateway for immigration to Canada in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Journeys varied: some newcomers stayed nearby, while others travelled onward. Grosse Île served as a quarantine station from 1832 to 1937.
The drawing depicts an imaginary arrival, not an identified group. Each suitcase can begin a conversation about what people leave, bring and look forward to finding.
Sources and context (2)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Ville de Québec — Immigration au port de Québec
- Parcs Canada — Grosse-Île : de statistiques en statistiques
Source review: 2026-09-19. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.