Colonization Companies
In the era of Clifford Sifton, Federal Minister of the Interior and Immigration 1896-1905, immigration was promoted by the Dominion of Canada, the Railway companies, and Colonization Companies. These companies would buy up large tracts of land and re-sell them upon advertising to prospective immigrants. Therefore each company would be selling land in a particular area of the North West Territories (Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, so at this time we speak of the NWT). Each Company would also have offices in particular cities, and countries so, therefore an ethnic settlement pattern would develop.

    As of the end of 1884, Colonization Companies could purchase odd numbered sections of land for re-sale at $2 an acre (.4 hectare) within 24 miles of the Canadian Pacific Rail-line or within 12 miles of a branch line. There were pre-requisites.
  1. They needed to promote NWT settlement.
  2. They were required to have 2 settlers on each of the odd and even numbered sections of their colonization land within 5 years. Each land company promised various terms which may include the monetary improvements to the land or the acres cultivated within a time period as part of their proposal.
  3. They needed to pay up front. A Colonization Company with a high number of settlers could receive a 5 year credit term of 5 installments.
  4. Interest was set at 6%.
If all the terms were met, a Colonization Company would receive $120 for every settler and this was inspected by a government inspector. The Col. Co. could also receive a $40 rebate for each settler established within a 5 year term. Now if there were 2 settlers on a section of land this could also mean a further rebate of $1 an acre. There would be a forfeiture of 160 acres for each settler short. Colonization Companies could expect to sell odd numbered sections from $3 to $20 an acre. The even numbered sections were held by the Dominion of Canada for homesteads and pre-emptions. Some companies like the York Colonization Company (1882-1888) paid their first installment of $24,576.00 on 61,220 acres and failed in meeting the above pre-requisites, and folded.
For more homestead information

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Colonization Company (Col. Co.) Settlement Area: Attracted settlers from:
A. Scott and T. Hay Quill Place
Anglican Church Society Churchbridge area Older English residents.
Armstrong and Cook S.E. Yorkton area
C.F. Ferguson and Association Wreford area
Canada Land and Colonization Company Limited
Canadian Agricultural Coal and Colonization Company Balgonie area Yorkshire Baronet D.J. Joe Wylie, Sir John Lister-Kaye. Enticed English by one year contract, lodging, wages of $10 month, chance to purchase their own homstead.
Canadian Cooperative Colonization Company Ltd.
Canadian Land and Ranch Company Southern Scottish
Church Colonization Land Company S. Salcoats area English Settlers From British Isles and Ontario.
Commercial Land and Colonization Company Ltd.
Dominion Lands Colonization Company Southey, Melville area
Dundie Land and Investment Company S.W. Yorkton area
Farmer's North West Land Southcote, Strasbourg area
Fertile Belt Colonization Company Finnie, Lemberg area
Great North West Central Railway Company
H.D. Smith Renown area
H.W.C. Meyer Lipton, Abernethy area
Harmony Industrial Association Pioneer Coop Tantallon area Western Manitoba
London Colonization Aid Society East London Artisan'sColony, Moosomin, Qu'Appelle area Lord de Winton and Baroness Burdett-Coutts. English Settlers.
Manitoba and South Western Colonization Railway Company
Montreal and Western Land Company Bangor, S.W. Yorkton area
Morrow Armgtage and Beattie
North West Colonization Company
P.V. Valin Bethune, Dundurn area
Patrick Purcell Watson area
Primitive Methodist and Colonization Company Limited Cupar, Dysart area
Prince Albert Colonization Company Prince Albert area
Qu'Appelle and Long Lake Colonization Company Duval area
Qu'Appelle Land Company Bulyea area
Saskatchewan Land and Homestead Company Goodeve, S.W. Yorkton area
Saskatchewan Valley Land Company Between Regina, Saskatoon, Davidson area Colonel A.D. Davidson. U.S. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Dakotas
Scottish Ontario and Manitoba Land company N. Fort Ellice area
Shell River Colonization Company S. Fort Ellice area
Temperance Colonization Society (Limited) Saskatoon area Ontario Methodists
Touchwood Qu'Appelle Land and Colonization Company Ltd. Earl Grey Area
W. Sharples Hanley area
W. Vahey and J. Wilkinson Mozart area
York Farmers Colonization Company (Limited) Orkney district Manitoba, Eday, Orkney, Scotland.
" Yorkton, Moosomin area York County Ontario, English Settlers From British Isles and Ontario.


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