Places of Last Resort: The Expansion of the Farm Frontier into the Boreal Forest in Canada, c1910–1940

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Owning a piece of land is the Canadian dream. To homestead, to carve out
a farm from the wilderness, to be independent … the passion for land
runs deep.

By 1910, Canada had run out of land suitable for agriculture. Yet
“land hunger” persisted and many tried to fulfill their dream by
settling in the boreal forest that spreads across the top of Canada,
from Quebec to British Columbia.

David Wood examines this little-known period in our history, looking at
the desperate search for land and the frontier experience as it unfolded
from pre– to post–World War II. The boreal soil is, at places, sand,
muskeg, rock, or clay. It is in a climate with early frosts, long
winters and too few days warm enough for most crops. In addition to poor
soil quality, depending on location, it might also have poor drainage,
excessive stoniness, salinity, or a lack of moisture. It definitely has
blizzards, sand flies, and mosquitoes.

Soldiers demobilized after World War II, religious groups (Hutterites,
Doukhobors, Mennonites), ethnic groups, and individuals all made an
effort to turn this northern forest into farmland. Added to the problems
of soil and climate were issues such as under-capitalization, lack of
access to transportation, rising costs and dropping return on farm
produce, discrimination, lack of experience in farming and forestry, and
isolation. Not surprisingly the rate of failure and abandonment was very
high. Further, clearing the forest for farmland led to the ecological
disasters of erosion, drought, and floods.

This academic study draws on the literature, demographics, government
reports, and case studies to present the details of this last
significant expansion of farm settlement in Canada. The research-paper
style limits its popular appeal, but does not detract from its value as
a contribution to a fascinating chapter in our social history.