October 28, 2024            Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island            Parks Canada

Today, Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), unveiled a plaque highlighting the Construction of the Prince Edward Island Railway as a National Historic Event at Founders’ Hall in Charlottetown. Harry Holman, the HSMBC board member representing Prince Edward Island, was joined by Sean Casey and representatives of PEI’s tourism and heritage communities, to celebrate the designation and reflect upon this significant event that led to Prince Edward Island becoming a part of Canada. 

The construction of the Prince Edward Island Railway between 1871 and 1875 created a transportation link across the Island that stimulated employment and generated economic and commercial opportunities. The construction project quickly exceeded its budget, however, and this led to Prince Edward Island joining Confederation on 1 July 1873, with Canada assuming the Island’s railway debt as part of the agreement. The Island had originally hosted the 1864 Charlottetown Conference which resulted in the British North American colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) joining to form the Dominion of Canada on 1 July 1867, but Prince Edward Island had not joined Confederation in the original union.

The Government of Canada, through Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,260 designations have been made nationwide.

National historic designations illustrate the defining moments in the story of Canada. Together, they tell the stories of who we are and connect us to our past, enriching our understanding of ourselves, each other, and our country. Heritage places provide a wide range of cultural, social, economic, and environmental benefits to their communities.  

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