For the people who came from overseas, the journey to Canada was a long one. The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean often took two weeks by steamship, and even longer by sailing ships. The steamship was faster than a sailing ship, but most of the steamships were overcrowded and dirty. Many passengers became seasick and the journey was uncomfortable.
PHOTO CREDIT: WESTERN DEVELOPMENT MUSEUM
It was a long, rough, and crowded journey for immigrants to come to Canada on a steamship.
PHOTO CREDIT: WESTERN DEVELOPMENT MUSEUM
Immigrants travelled in groups, alone, or with their families.
After a ship finally docked at the ports of Halifax, Montreal, or Quebec City, the immigrants could not leave right away. They were given medical tests and their travel papers were checked. During this time, they stayed in large buildings called immigration halls.
PHOTO CREDIT: WESTERN DEVELOPMENT MUSEUM
After a long ship ride, people had to wait for medical tests before continuing the rest of their journey.
Immigrants would arrive at the port, only to begin the next part of their journey!
Their next journey was by train to the Prairies. The journey by train from Quebec to western Canada took from four to six days. The trains were often overcrowded and without heat. There were many delays. Passengers had to bring their own food or buy food during the trip. When they finally arrived at a town close enough to their homestead, they unloaded their belongings from the train and got a wagon or Red River cart to load their belongings into. Next, they would travel to their homestead. Their long journey was finally over once they got to their homestead but there were many more hardships to come.
PHOTO CREDIT: WESTERN DEVELOPMENT MUSEUM
Immigrants would travel in a crowded train to the general area where they were planning to purchase a homestead.
PHOTO CREDIT: WESTERN DEVELOPMENT MUSEUM
Immigrants would travel by ship, then to the closest town to their homestead by train, and then use a wagon for the last part of their journey.
Immigrants would finally arrive and the work was just getting started – they had to build a house, barn, and start plowing their farmland!
