Settlement Schemes

by Glen Wright, Library and Archives Canada

Introduction | Directives | Debates | Dreams | References

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Directives

The British settlement schemes were based on the Empire Settlement Act (1922), with which the British government entered into agreements with various members of the Commonwealth to resettle female domestics, agriculturalists (farmers and farm labourers) and juveniles. This initiative differed significantly from all previous emigration schemes because the British government itself was involved in the recruitment of potential emigrants, in subsidizing ocean passage and in providing the skills and training that women, juveniles and others would need to settle elsewhere in the Empire.

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In 1924, the program expanded with the 3,000 British Families Settlement Scheme, an ambitious plan to bring thousands of British farm families to Canada. Farm families received assisted passage, training, credit to purchase a farm, and supervision. In addition, British subjects in Canada could nominate people in the United Kingdom for emigration to Canada. Farm workers were encouraged to come to Canada under the Empire Settlement Agreement. Collectively, the Empire Settlement Act and the schemes that flowed from it were designed to assist those who wished to start anew in the dominions and, at the same time, to strengthen the bonds of the British Empire.

By the end of the decade, about 170,000 men, women and children had been resettled in Canada, not nearly as many as had been envisioned by officials in Britain. No effort was spared to attract potential emigrants -- passage funds, already subsidized, were further reduced, training was improved and an aftercare program was initiated in Canada.