What are the capitals of the Canadian provinces and territories?
Canada consists of 14 capital cities. There is
Ottawa, which is the national capital. In addition there exist 10 capital cities of the provinces and 3 capital cities belonging to the territories.
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Alberta –
Edmonton. The name “Edmonton” has been derived from Fort Edmonton which was built in 1795.
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Manitoba – Winnipeg. Winnipeg is derived from the Cree Winnipi. The translation could be “murky water” or “dirty water”. Winnipeg Metropolitan was an amalgamation of the adjoining municipalities that was formed on November 1, 1960. The city of
Winnipeg was reorganized on January 1, 1972.
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British Columbia –
Victoria: The city’s name was kept in honor of Queen Victoria (1819-1900). The selection of the name was done by the Hudson's Bay Company on June 10, 1843.
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New Brunswick – Fredericton:
Fredericton was formed on February 22, 1785. The name had been kept in honor of Prince Frederick, Bishop of Osnaburg”.
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Northwest Territories –
Yellowknife: The name “Yellowknife” was taken from the Athapaskan band of Amerindians. Yellowknife got the status of a city on January 1, 1970.
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Newfoundland and Labrador -
St. John's: The capital city’s name had been derived from the Feast of St. John the Baptist, in the year 1497.
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Nova Scotia – Halifax: The capital city of
Halifax was founded on June 21, 1749. The name was kept after George Montagu Dunk, Earl of Halifax (1716-71).
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Ontario –
Toronto: The city’s name “Toronto” could be of Mohawk origin.
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Nunavut – Iqaluit: The earlier name of
Iqaluit was Frobisher Bay. It was created in 1949. The place was renamed Iqaluit which means “place for fish” in Inuktitut.
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Prince Edward Island –
Charlottetown: The capital was incorporated as a city in 1875 and named after Queen Charlotte, who was King George III’s consort.
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Saskatchewan –
Regina:
The Governor General, the Marquess of Lorne (1845-1914) kept the city’s name after his wife’s mother Queen Victoria.
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Quebec –
Quebec City: The name Quebec is of Algonquin origin. It came from the term “kebek” which in Amerindian means a narrowing channel or strait.
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Yukon – Whitehorse:
Whitehorse has been Yukon’s capital from 1953 onwards.