Ontario and Quebec Railway
Encyclopedia
The Ontario and Quebec Railway (O&Q) is a historic Canadian
railway located in eastern Ontario
.
The railway had received a charter in 1881 and the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) gained control, building the O&Q line between Perth
and Toronto. CPR eventually expanded its base in southern and eastern Ontario through the acquisition of additional railways such as the Toronto Grey & Bruce Railway, the Credit Valley Railway
, and the Canada Central Railway.
The CPR formalized its association with the O&Q by obtaining a 999 year lease
on it in 1884 (It expires 2883). By 1890, this lease gave the CPR an extensive network in Ontario
and Quebec
, with lines reaching between Quebec City, Quebec, and Windsor, Ontario
, as well as a line running from near Ottawa, Ontario to a connection with the CPR at Mattawa
.
The CPR never owned all of the O&Q, a fact that caused legal problems when it attempted to sell off some O&Q real estate
in Toronto that had become quite lucrative. However, the CPR won the court battle.
While the O&Q and the TG&B existed on paper until 1998, when they were merged into the St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway
, they had always been operated as part of the CPR system.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
railway located in eastern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
The railway had received a charter in 1881 and the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) gained control, building the O&Q line between Perth
Perth, Ontario
Perth is a town in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada . It is located on the Tay River, 83 km southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.-History:...
and Toronto. CPR eventually expanded its base in southern and eastern Ontario through the acquisition of additional railways such as the Toronto Grey & Bruce Railway, the Credit Valley Railway
Credit Valley Railway
The Credit Valley Railway was a shortline railway that operated in Southern Ontario, Canada from 1871 to 1883. Engineered by James Ross, its mainline went from Toronto to Orangeville with branchlines from Cataract to Elora and Streetsville to St. Thomas. It was acquired by the Ontario and Quebec...
, and the Canada Central Railway.
The CPR formalized its association with the O&Q by obtaining a 999 year lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
on it in 1884 (It expires 2883). By 1890, this lease gave the CPR an extensive network in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, with lines reaching between Quebec City, Quebec, and Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, as well as a line running from near Ottawa, Ontario to a connection with the CPR at Mattawa
Mattawa, Ontario
Mattawa is a town in northeastern Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers in Nipissing District. Mattawa means "Meeting of the Waters" in Ojibwa...
.
The CPR never owned all of the O&Q, a fact that caused legal problems when it attempted to sell off some O&Q real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
in Toronto that had become quite lucrative. However, the CPR won the court battle.
While the O&Q and the TG&B existed on paper until 1998, when they were merged into the St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway
St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway
The St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway.The SL&H arose out of a corporate reorganization at CPR that was announced on November 21, 1995...
, they had always been operated as part of the CPR system.