Imperial legislation united the Colony of Vancouver Island and the mainland Colony of British Columbia into a single colony, creating the political framework in which Confederation debates would unfold.
The colony’s seat of government was moved to Victoria, intensifying mainland–island political rivalries that Confederation advocates later argued union with Canada could help resolve.
Amor De Cosmos and allies began organizing the Confederation League to campaign for union with Canada and to press a set of terms (notably financial relief and a major transportation link to the East).
Delegates at a Yale convention adopted 37 resolutions outlining desired terms for union, helping standardize and popularize the pro-Confederation platform across the colony.
After Governor Frederick Seymour’s death, Britain appointed Anthony Musgrave with a mandate to secure British Columbia’s entry into Confederation; he arrived and pushed negotiations forward quickly.
A sustained debate in the colony’s Legislative Council considered whether—and on what conditions—British Columbia should join Canada, setting up the appointment of negotiators to meet Ottawa.
Governor Musgrave appointed Joseph W. Trutch, John S. Helmcken, and R. W. W. Carrall to travel to Ottawa and negotiate mutually acceptable terms for Confederation.
In negotiations with the Canadian government, British Columbia’s delegates secured major commitments, including federal assumption of certain debts/subsidies and a promise to build a transcontinental railway linking B.C. to the rest of Canada within a set timeframe.
Queen Victoria, acting in Council, issued the Order in Council approving the negotiated terms and setting British Columbia’s admission to Canada to take effect on a specified date.
British Columbia was admitted into and became part of the Dominion of Canada, becoming Canada’s sixth province under the approved British Columbia Terms of Union.
Following entry into Confederation and before elected provincial institutions were fully in place, an interim executive ministry governed the new province under Lieutenant Governor Joseph Trutch.
British Columbia held its first provincial election after joining Canada; polling occurred over an extended period (October–December) to elect members of the first Legislative Assembly.
After the first provincial election, John Foster McCreight formed the first ministry, marking the practical start of responsible government in British Columbia within the Canadian федераtion.
British Columbia's negotiations and entry into Confederation (1866–1871)
