1873 in Canada

Crown

• Monarch – Victoria^[1]

Federal government

• Governor General – Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood
• Prime Minister – John A. Macdonald (until November 5) then Alexander Mackenzie (from November 7)
• Parliament – 2nd (from 5 March)

Provincial governments

Territorial governments

January to June 1873

• February 26 – Gédéon Ouimet becomes Premier of Quebec, replacing Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau.
• April 1
  • 1873 Prince Edward Island general election.
  • James Pope becomes Premier of Prince Edward Island for the second time, replacing Robert Haythorne.
  • The SS Atlantic is wrecked off Peggys Cove.
• April 2 – The Pacific Scandal breaks out.
• May 13 – Sixty are killed in a coal mine explosion in Nova Scotia.
• May 23 – North-West Mounted Police are founded to police the Northwest Territories, which then included the region today of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
• June 1 – The Cypress Hills Massacre occurs.

July to December

• July 1 – Prince Edward Island joins the Canadian Confederation.
• August 25 – A cyclone hits Cape Breton Island, killing 500 and causing much damage.
• September 1 – L. C. Owen becomes Premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing James Pope.
• September 23 – The Canadian Labour Union is founded.
• November – 1873 Newfoundland general election.
• November 5 – Pacific Scandal: the House of Commons of Canada passes a vote of no confidence in Sir John A. Macdonald's government.
• November 7 – Pacific Scandal: Sir John A. resigns as Prime Minister of Canada, and Alexander Mackenzie is appointed in his place.
• November 8 – Winnipeg incorporated as a city.

January to June

• January 10 – George Orton, middle-distance runner and Olympic gold medallist, first Canadian to win an Olympic medal (d.1958)
• January 19 – Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, politician and 22nd Premier of British Columbia (d.1956)
• February 4 – Étienne Desmarteau, athlete and Olympic gold medallist (d.1905)
• April 9 – Walter Edward Foster, businessman, politician and 16th Premier of New Brunswick (d.1947)
• April 10 – George Black, politician (d.1965)
• May 12 – J. E. H. MacDonald, artist of the Group of Seven (d.1932)
• May 17 – Albert Edward Matthews, 16th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (d.1949)

July to December

• August 27 – Maud Allan, actor, dancer and choreographer (d.1956)
• September 20 – Sidney Olcott, film producer, director, actor and screenwriter (d.1949)
• October 20 (or 29) – Nellie McClung, feminist, politician and social activist (d.1951)^[3]
• November 21 – Aimé Bénard, politician (d.1938)
• December 8 – John Duncan MacLean, teacher, physician, politician and Premier of British Columbia (d.1948)
• December 9 – George Blewett, academic and philosopher (d.1912)

Full date unknown

• Margaret C. MacDonald, nurse (d.1948)