Page 177 - Annuaire Statistique Québec - 1918

C-·COLONIZATION.

DEVELOPMENT OF COLONIZATlON.
There has been a considera.ble C'olonization development ln the
Province of Quebec in the bj')t quarter centmy. The efforts of the
Government to lend the exccsj') lîHal population to ne,,, ln.nds have
greatly contribu ted to the progrcss of colonizatioll centres. Important
parishes ha\-e been erected in many parts of the Province. eoipecia.lly
in the fertile regions of Ahitibi, Temiscamingue, Lake St. John ünd the
lowe: 8t. Lawl'eTIGe, (Rimouski, Matane, Bonaventure and Gaspe
counties). New families, but in 1e88er proportion thall in the regions
mentioned above, have gone to the North, beyond Montreal (in the
counties of Labelle, Acgenteuit, :l\Iontcalm. Joliette, Berthier and Mas-
kinonge).
In order to induce settlement in the regions open to colonization, the
Government, in l !)2:-~, granted a prcllIium of four dollars pel' acre to
a,ll settlers whose lots \vere not patented for the five aCl'es they are
obliged to clear under their certificate. In 1924, this premium was
increased to six dollars nnd in the month of May, H125, it was further
incl'eased to eight dollars lUld eventually fixed at twelve dollnn; in the
('ourse of t.he laRt sef;sion of the Legislature. "\llother premillm of twelve
dollars called premium for" fil'st ploughing" extending to nve acres pel'
year to settlers l'esiding on their lot, ,:vas granted. For settlers who do not
reside on their lot, the clearing pr<:'mium is fixed at eight dollars and that
of "first ploughing" at six dollars. This policy seems to have been effeC'-
tive, if results are judged by new clearings. Several of the new farmers
are immigrants who were settled by the Government, Franc.o-Amel'icans
who had abandoned their lands and war veterans.
Table 15 indicates the number of colonists to whom the Department
of Colonization remitted certificat.es permitting them to obtain railroad
tickets at reduced rates, in order to establish them in colonization centres
of the Province of Quebec.

15-Colonizalion Movemenl in 1925·26.

COLONlZATION REGIONS Number

CERTW1CATKB TSRUED DY THE QUEBEC Bum:.I.'\u :
Ahitihi.. . . 2,517
South EasÏf>( Quebec. . . .. o................ . .. . . . . . . 35:1
l~ai·w Sl. ,rI,lm . 3:\~
1'ellLiS(·:wLÎllgue . 105
2,004

TOTAL.. 6,312