Government Houses in Canada

In Canada, Government House is a title given to the official residences of the country's monarch and various viceroys (the governor general and the lieutenant governors). Though not universal, in most cases the title is also the building's sole name; for example, the sovereign's and governor general's principal residence in Ottawa is known as Government House only in formal contexts, being more generally referred to as Rideau Hall. The use of the term Government House is an inherited custom from the British Empire, where there were and are many government houses.

There is currently no government house for the Lieutenant Governors of Ontario (repurposed in 1937 and demolished in 1961), Quebec (destroyed by fire in 1966), or Alberta (closed in 1938 and repurchased and repurposed in 1964).

Present government houses

Building name Residents' positions Location Image Notes
Rideau Hall Monarch of Canada and Governor General of Canada (1867-) Ottawa Functioning residence.
Citadelle of Quebec Monarch of Canada and Governor General of Canada (1872-) Quebec City Functioning residence.
Government House Governor of Nova Scotia (circa 1800-1867)
Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (1867-)
Halifax Functioning residence.
Government House Governor of New Brunswick (1828-1867)
Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick (1867-1890; 1999-)
Fredericton Other uses 1896-1988, reoccupied as official residence thereafter, now functioning residence.
Government House Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba (1885-) Winnipeg Functioning residence.
Government House Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia (1959-) Victoria Functioning residence.
Fanningbank Governor of Prince Edward Island (1834-1873)
Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island (1873-)
Charlottetown Functioning residence.
Government House Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories (1889-1905)
Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan (1905-1945)
Regina Other uses 1945  1984, now offices (but not residence) of Lt-Gov.
Government House Governor of Newfoundland (1827-1949)
Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador (1949-)
St. John's Functioning residence.

Former Government Houses

Building name Residents' positions Location Image Notes
Chateau St. Louis[1] Governor of Quebec (1760  1791)
Lieutenant-Governor of Lower Canada
and Governor-General of British North America (1791  1834)
Quebec City Destroyed by fire, 1834.
Chateau de Ramezay[1] Lieutenant-Governor of Lower Canada
and Governor-General of British North America (circa 1834)
Montreal Now a museum.
Government House Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada (1800  1813) York Destroyed by explosion, 1813.
Elmsley House Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada (1800  1813)
Governor General of the Province of Canada (1849  1852, 1856  1858)
Toronto Destroyed by fire, 1862.
Alwington House Governor General of the Province of Canada (1841  1844) Kingston Damaged by fire, 1958; demolished, 1959.
Government House Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario (1868  1912) Toronto Sold and demolished, 1912.
Chorley Park Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario (1915  1937) Toronto Other uses, then demolished 1961.
Spencerwood Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (1870  1966) Quebec City Destroyed by fire in 1966.
Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories (1870  1876) Fort Garry Capital moved to Fort Livingstone.
Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories (1876  1877) Fort Livingstone Capital moved to Battleford.
Cary Castle Governor of Vancouver Island (1865  1866)
Governor of the United Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia (1868  1871)
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (1871  1903)
Victoria Destroyed by fire 1903.
Governor of British Columbia (18??  1866)
Governor of the United Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia (1866  1868)
New Westminster Capital moved to Victoria.
Government House Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (190?  1957) Victoria Destroyed by fire 1957.
Government House Lieutenant-Governor of the Northwest Territories (1883  1889) Regina Replaced 1889, demolished 1908.
Government House Lieutenant Governor of Alberta (1913  1938) Edmonton Other uses 1948  1964, now the Alberta Government Conference Centre.
58 St. George's Crescent[2] Lieutenant Governor of Alberta (1966  2004) Edmonton Demolished 2005.
Government House Governor of Newfoundland (1781  1831) St. John's
The Monklands Governor General of the Province of Canada (1844  1849) Montreal Capital moved (1849), now high school.
Government House Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories (1878  1883) Battleford Capital moved to Regina (1883), building destroyed by fire 2003.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Aylmer

Sources

See also

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