Canadian Pacific Railway construction completed at Craigellachie

Background. The Canadian Pacific Railway was incorporated in 1881 and built between eastern Canada and British Columbia from 1875 to 1885. This construction fulfilled a commitment extended to British Columbia upon its entry into Confederation in 1871. The project was vital to national unity, though the company faced financial difficulties, requiring government loans in 1884 to continue progress.

Completion. Construction reached the Rocky Mountains by the end of 1883. The final ceremonial act occurred on November 7, 1885, when the last spike was driven at Craigellachie, British Columbia. This location was named after the ancestral home of Sir George Stephen, the first CPR president. The event signified the physical completion of the transcontinental line.

Political Context. Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, who adopted an aggressive construction policy in 1878, was informed of the completion by telegram from CPR manager William Van Horne. The railway's completion occurred during the North-West Rebellion of 1885, which broke out in the District of Saskatchewan in March 1885. Following the rebellion, Macdonald's government implemented restrictions upon the movement of indigenous groups, requiring them to receive formal permission from an Indian Department Official to go off-reserve.