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Local: Charlottetown History - Around Confederation

The question of a union of the North American Provinces was not a priority in Prince Edward Island until 1864, though Nova Scotians considered it as early as 1857 and approved it in their legislature in 1861. Initially, just the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island were considered. By 1864, Charlottetown Conference in September expanded this plan included the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island under one government. This led to the formation of Canada on July 1st, 1867 though ironically PEI didn't consider the terms fair enough to join Canada itself.

In 1872 it was found that the island's sandy soils made the roadways too difficult to maintain, and railway legislation was passed so a railway would connect both tips of the Island. Although Islanders had resisted joining Confederation, the huge debt incurred building the railway helped convince them to join Canada in 1873.

In the late 1800s, four industries became major income sources for Islanders: potatoes from the rich, sandy soil, fox-breeding in the western part of the island, lobster (once just used just as fertilizer) become loved by gourmets, and Oysters particularly those from Malpeque Bay.

Ships, and in the winter nimble ice boats, were the prime method of getting shipments to and from the island, and in 1905, PEI had asked the federal government for a tunnel, but was turned down.. In 1916 regular ferry service to the island was started.

In 1913 St. Dunstan's Basilica is built of Miramichi freestone, and is the fourth Roman Catholic church to occupy this site since 1816. In 1816 a small wooden church was built on the present site, replaced in 1863 by a new larger church, and again in 1896 by a stone cathedral. On March 7, 1913, fire destroyed the church and St. Dunstan's Basilica was built during the Great (First World) War.

An epidemic nearly destroyed all the Malpeque oysters in 1917, but they developed resistance and the industry survived. Today PEI produces almost all of Canada's oysters, most of which are exported.

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