Parliament of Canada first meets in Ottawa (1866)

The Parliament of Canada convened for the first time in Ottawa in 1866, following the selection of the city as capital in 1859 and a relocation process beginning in 1865. The session occurred in new buildings on Parliament Hill, which were constructed between 1859 and 1866. The site remained incomplete when Confederation occurred in 1867, establishing Ottawa as the capital of the new country.

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Background and detail

Background. Ottawa was selected as a capital city prior to Confederation, with the choice ratified in 1859. Quebec served as the interim capital from 1859 to 1865. The relocation process to Ottawa began in 1865, leading to the first session of Parliament being held in the new buildings in 1866. These original Parliament buildings, including the Centre, East, and West Blocks, were constructed in the Gothic Revival style between 1859 and 1866.

Parliament Hill. Parliament Hill is an area of Crown land on the southern bank of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, housing the Parliament of Canada. The site accommodates a suite of Gothic revival buildings designed to evoke the history of parliamentary democracy. The site was still incomplete when three British North American colonies entered Confederation in 1867, making Ottawa the capital of the new country.

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