# What Were the Original Four Provinces of Confederation?
This is one of the highest-frequency facts on the Canadian citizenship test — easy to memorise and easy points if you know it. This short guide gives you the answer plus the historical context.
The four founding provinces
The four provinces that formed Canada on July 1, 1867 were:
- Ontario
- Quebec
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
That is the answer to the most common test question on this topic.
What they were called before 1867
Two of the four provinces had different names before Confederation:
| Modern name | Pre-1867 name |
|---|---|
| Ontario | Canada West (Upper Canada) |
| Quebec | Canada East (Lower Canada) |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia (same) |
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick (same) |
Ontario and Quebec had been combined into the Province of Canada under the Act of Union (1840). Confederation split them back into separate provinces while uniting them at the federal level with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Why these four (and not others)
Several colonies were in early Confederation discussions but did not join in 1867:
- Prince Edward Island — hosted the Charlottetown Conference but worried about losing its small-island identity and railway debt. Joined in 1873.
- Newfoundland — chose to remain a separate British dominion. Joined in 1949.
- British Columbia — too far away geographically and economically tied to the Pacific. Joined in 1871 after a transcontinental railway was promised.
- The Northwest — at this time owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. Bought by Canada in 1869–1870.
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The path to ten provinces
After 1867, the rest of Canada joined progressively:
| Year | Province / Territory |
|---|---|
| 1870 | Manitoba (carved out of the Northwest) |
| 1871 | British Columbia |
| 1873 | Prince Edward Island |
| 1898 | Yukon Territory |
| 1905 | Saskatchewan, Alberta (both carved out of the Northwest) |
| 1949 | Newfoundland (joined as 10th province) |
| 1999 | Nunavut Territory (carved out of the Northwest) |
For the full year-by-year timeline, see [When Did Each Province Join Canada?](/blog/when-did-provinces-join-canada).
What the test asks
The four-original-provinces fact appears on the test in several formats:
- "Which provinces formed Canada in 1867?" — pick all four from a list
- "Which of the following was NOT one of the original four provinces?" — usually with PEI or BC as the wrong option
- "When did Ontario become a province?" → 1867 (Confederation)
Practice now
This is one of the easiest single facts on the citizenship test. Drill it on our [free Canadian citizenship practice test](/practice-test). For broader context, see [Canadian Confederation 1867 Explained](/blog/canadian-confederation-1867-explained).
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Frequently Asked Questions
1Which four provinces joined Confederation in 1867?
**Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.** Memorise the four names in order — they appear together on most citizenship tests as either an exact-match question or a pick-which-one-was-NOT question.
2Did Prince Edward Island join in 1867?
No. Even though PEI **hosted the Charlottetown Conference (September 1864)** that started the Confederation discussions, PEI itself did not join until **1873** — six years after Confederation. PEI was reluctant to join initially due to its distinct island identity and railway debt concerns.
3Did British Columbia join in 1867?
No. BC was a separate British colony in 1867 and joined Canada in **1871** in exchange for a promise to build a transcontinental railway connecting BC to central Canada (the Canadian Pacific Railway, completed in 1885).
4Did Newfoundland join in 1867?
No. Newfoundland (then a separate British dominion) chose not to join Confederation in 1867 and operated as a separate country/dominion until **1949**, when it became Canada's tenth province after a close referendum vote (52% in favour). It is the most recent province to join. Nunavut became Canada's most recent territory in 1999.
5Why did Ontario and Quebec separate at Confederation?
Before 1867 they were combined into the **Province of Canada** (Canada West and Canada East). The arrangement was politically deadlocked — equal representation gave Canada East an effective veto, and Canada West was growing faster. Confederation split them back into two separate provinces (Ontario and Quebec), each with its own government, while joining them with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick at the federal level.