Indian Statistics

Indian Statistics

On June 10, 1857, an act was assented to providing for the gradual civilization of the Indians, and the removal of all legal distinctions between them and other subjects.

The expenditures on account of Indians in 1886-7 amounted to:
$53,604.90 for Ontario and Quebec
$6,038.01 for Nova Scotia
$6,049.08 for New Brunswick
$2,135.26 for Prince Edward Island
$61,076.40 for British Columbia
$1,072,397.67 for Manitoba and the Northwest

The tribes represented now in Quebec and Ontario, with the receipts credited up to June 30, 1886, are given as follows:
Otchipwas of Sarnia, $200,755.87
Otchipwas of Thames, $77,332.61
Munceys of Thames, $2,805.09
Oneidas of Thames, $662.89
Moravians of Thames, $167,018.70
Pottawattamies of Walpole Island, $6,806.90
Otchipwas of Walpole Island, $74,648.60
Batchewana Indians, $4,468.40
Otchipwas of Beausoleil, $59,748.80
Otchipwas of Nawash, $367,753.08
Otchipwas of Kand, $54,895.44
Otchipwas of Saugeen, $289,852.91
Otchipwas of Snake Island, $25,972.61
Fort William band, $14,148.28
French River band, $928.67
Garden River Indians, $36,761.85
Henvey's Inlet Indians, $7,561.05
Lake Nippissing Indians, $29,829.50
Manitoulin Indians (unceded), $2,530.36
Maganetewans, $582.57
Mississaugas of Alnwick, $80,033.84
Mississaugas of Credit, $120,423.49
Mississaugas of Eice Lake, $22,831.04
Mississaugas of Mud Lake, $38,231.38
Mississaugas of Scugog, $11,895.69
Mississaugas of Bay of Quinte, $134,924.98
Ojibbewas and Ottawas of Manitoulin, $117,794.94
Ojibbewas of Lake Huron, $61,357.59
Ojibbewas of Lake Superior, $50,917.64
Ojibbewas of the Mississauga River, $4,695.49
Parry Island Indians, $45,365.26
Serpent River Indians, $3,004
Six Nations, $915,988.30
Shawanaga band, $8,691
Spanish River Indians, $3,058
Thessalon River Indians, $13,278.91
Tootoomenai and band, $963.30
Whitefish River Indians, $3,939.46
Wyandots of Anderdon, $24,969.17
Abenakis of St. Francis, $4,158.36
Abenakis of Becancour, $1,279
Amalecites of Isle Vest and Viger, $5,799
Golden Lake Indians, $21
Hurons of Lorette, $26
Iroquois of Caughnawaga, $8,271
Iroquois of St. Eegis, $31,271
Lake St. John Indians, $1,397
Lake of Two Mountains Indians, $1,260
Mississaugas of Upper Ottawa, $3,041
River Desert Indians, $40,379

The territory over which the supervision of Indian affairs extended in 1862 consisted of what is now embraced in the Provinces of Ontario, and Quebec, which then composed the old Province of Canada. The Department now exercises control of Indian matters from the Provinces of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic, to British Columbia, on the Pacific Ocean.

The number of Indians who, according to the Report for the year 1863, were then under the care of the Department, was 19,181. The census returns published with this report show that the Indians of the Dominion of Canada number approximately 128,000 souls. The number of reserves occupied by the various bands of Indians of the old Province of Canada in 1862 was fifty-six. In the seven provinces, and in the Northwest Territories, and in the district of Keewatin, there are at the present time 1,147 Indian reserves; while in British Columbia additional reserves are being assigned to the Indians of that province, as the work of the Commissioner appointed to allot the same proceeds.

According to the report for the year 1863, there were thirty schools in operation for the instruction of the Indian children. In 1887 there were 198 schools in operation.

Indian Trails

In the days when Ontario was solely in possession of the native tribes, well defined routes of travel existed between their several noted summer camps, as well as between their winter towns. There were several practicable routes for the traders to reach the upper lake region. The original and best known one was by the Ottawa River, Nippissing and Georgian Bay, which, though long and hazardous, was the principal channel of intercourse between Western Canada and the Lower St. Lawrence; the second was by the Trent River to Lake Simcoe; the third was from the present site of Toronto to Lake Simcoe; the fourth was from the head of Lake Ontario, the Grand River to Lake Erie and (La Tranchee) Thames River to Lake St. Clair, and the fifth by Niagara. The latter route was seldom chosen, owing to the savage character of the New York Indians, as well as the rough character of the route. So soon as Upper Canada was organized for the purposes of Government, two great highways were established Yonge and Dundas streets; and from this beginning the modern system of roads spread out.

Indian Residents

This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes implied .

History of the County of Middlesex, Canada, 1889