Peace River Block
Encyclopedia
The Peace River Block is an 3500000 acres (14,164 km²) area of land located in northeastern British Columbia
, in the Peace River Country
. In exchange for building a rail line across Canada to British Columbia the Canadian Pacific Railway
was given a belt, 20 miles (32.2 km) on each side of the rail, of land. To compensate the CPR for alienated or non-arable land in the 40 miles (64.4 km) wide strip, the Province allowed the Dominion government to take control of 3500000 acres (14,164 km²) within B.C., northeast of the Rocky Mountains
. This arrangement passed the provincial legislature on December 19, 1883, and passed the Dominion house on March 21, 1884, as the "Settlement Act". As all the land north east of the Rocky Mountains became a provincial reserve pending the Dominion government's decision on what land to select prevented homesteading
and land claims. After several surveys of the land the Dominion government took possession in 1907. The land the Dominion government chose was a rectanglar-shaped block of land 35 miles (56.3 km) north-south and 74 miles (119.1 km) east-west.
The Dominion government opened the southeastern corner of the block in 1912 for homesteading. The Dominion government administered the land from two offices: the first, Peace River Land Agency, in Peace River, Alberta
and the second, Grande Prairie Land Agency, in Grande Prairie, Alberta. While the land was in Dominion control the province still provided roads, schools, and other normal provincial government services. Conflicts between the federal and provincial governments occurred over the jurisdiction over land, water, and mineral rights. An agreement was reached between the two governments on February 20, 1930, which returned the block to the provincial government.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, in the Peace River Country
Peace River Country
The Peace River Country is an aspen parkland region around the Peace River in Canada. It spans from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, where the region is also referred to as the Peace River Block.- Geography :The Peace River Country includes the...
. In exchange for building a rail line across Canada to British Columbia 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...
was given a belt, 20 miles (32.2 km) on each side of the rail, of land. To compensate the CPR for alienated or non-arable land in the 40 miles (64.4 km) wide strip, the Province allowed the Dominion government to take control of 3500000 acres (14,164 km²) within B.C., northeast of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. This arrangement passed the provincial legislature on December 19, 1883, and passed the Dominion house on March 21, 1884, as the "Settlement Act". As all the land north east of the Rocky Mountains became a provincial reserve pending the Dominion government's decision on what land to select prevented homesteading
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
and land claims. After several surveys of the land the Dominion government took possession in 1907. The land the Dominion government chose was a rectanglar-shaped block of land 35 miles (56.3 km) north-south and 74 miles (119.1 km) east-west.
The Dominion government opened the southeastern corner of the block in 1912 for homesteading. The Dominion government administered the land from two offices: the first, Peace River Land Agency, in Peace River, Alberta
Peace River, Alberta
Peace River is a town in northwestern Alberta, Canada, situated along the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. It is located northwest of Edmonton, and northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. The Peace River townsite is nearly ...
and the second, Grande Prairie Land Agency, in Grande Prairie, Alberta. While the land was in Dominion control the province still provided roads, schools, and other normal provincial government services. Conflicts between the federal and provincial governments occurred over the jurisdiction over land, water, and mineral rights. An agreement was reached between the two governments on February 20, 1930, which returned the block to the provincial government.