Early Canadiana Online

Early Canadiana Online (ECO) is the first large-scale online collection of early Canadian print heritage. ECO contains a digitized selection of the content from the microfiche held by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. ECO currently offers twelve online collections totalling over three million pages and is continually expanding its content. The collections include material published from the time of the first European settlers to the first two decades of the 20th Century.

Early Canadiana Collections

Early Canadian Periodicals to 1920

The Early Canadian Periodicals collection is being developed over a six-year period from 2006-2012. Each year, Canadiana.org adds 250,000 pages of rare materials to the collection. Many of the titles and/or issues being added are completely new to the Canadiana.org research collection, having never been filmed during our Periodicals Microfilming Project in the 90s. These new additions are coming from organizations across Canada, as well as from Great Britain and the United States. The collection contains digitized pre-1920 Canadian periodicals. It includes titles on a wide range of topics pertaining to agriculture, religion, medicine and health, as well as popular publications. These early periodicals offer a remarkable record of the development of thought and opinion on diverse issues of the nation in its formative years and even bring online the first magazine published in Canada, The Nova Scotia Magazine (1789-1792). Many of Canada's initial prominent poets, novelists, scientists and great minds were first known through their works published in periodicals. Learn more...

Early Official Publications

The Early Official Publications collection includes over 1.5 million digitized pages of historical pre-1901 colonial and federal government documents. This collection includes government acts, bills, committee reports, court rules, debates, journals, ordinances, a selection of official publications from France and Great Britain, sessional papers, regulations, royal commission reports, and treaties. Learn more...

Reconstituted Debates

In 2005-2006 Canadiana.org, in collaboration with the Library of Parliament, added Reconstituted Debates of the House of Commons (1867-1870) and Reconstituted Debates of the Senate (1867-1871) to ECO. The early Debates of the Parliament of Canada were never officially published. They only appeared unofficially in newspapers such as the Toronto Globe and the Ottawa Times. Library of Parliament edited these unofficial debates and published them in book form. They are informally known as the Reconstituted Debates.

Early Governors General of Canada

Created in 2002 by Canadiana.org in consultation with the Office of the Governor General and as a tribute to our patron, The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada (1999-2005), this online collection consists of 60 publications focused on the lives of the early Governors General of Canada.

Hudson's Bay Company

In 1999, Canadiana.org partnered with the Hudson's bay Company to bring 160 titles in 20,000 pages online that detail the rich history of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), one of the oldest and still active companies in the world.

Jesuit Relations

In 1999, Canadiana.org worked with Library and Archives Canada to create this online collection. The Jesuit Relations is a 73-volume set of books, 22,500 pages, in the original Italian, Latin and French with commentary and translation into English by Reuben Thwaites (1853-1913). Most of the Relations are annual missionary reports written between 1632 and 1678 by the Jesuits in New France for their superiors in France. Through their Relations, the Jesuits provide details of colonial life during the French regime in Canada.

Health and medicine

Initiated in 2006, this evolving collection consists of periodicals relating to the field of health and medicine. From Journal de médecine de Québec = The Quebec medical journal (published 1826-27) to the Maritime Medical News (1881-1910), this collection covers almost 100 years of medical thought, news, practice and research in Canada. Here you will find writings on: public health, human anatomy, promotion of health, pharmacology, diet, physical fitness, dentistry, surgery, obstetrics, childbirth, paediatrics, etc.

English Canadian Literature

Created in 1999, this collection consists of 875 works of fiction, drama, songs, and poetry, as well as biography, travel literature and exploration accounts. Comprised of books published from 1697 to 1900, and from a variety of countries (Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland).

History of French Canada

The 732 French language books in this collection relate to the history of French settlement and French culture in Canada. In the collection are books published from 1575 to the early 20th century, and from a variety of countries (Canada, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands). Topics covered include: the discovery and exploration of Canada; religious works, including those of the Jesuits; history of Acadia; First Nations settlements; scholarly writings on the French language; French Canadian songs and poems; education; biographies; geography; politics; law; social life and customs; commerce, and natural resources.

Native Studies

Created in 1999, this collection consists of titles relating to Canada’s early First Nations Peoples. The collection is comprised of 900 books published from 1558 to 1900, and from a variety of countries (Canada, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States) and in a variety of languages (e.g. Micmac, Iroquois, Mohawk, Chipewyan, Nootka, Chinook, Ojibwa). Here you will find writings on: customs, folklore, spirituality, history, languages, treaties, battles, biographies, relations with the government, cultural assimilation, education, etc.

Women’s History

This collection of 683 titles was created in 1999. It consists of the early published writings of Canadian women authors, as well as Canadian publications written about women or "women's issues". The collection covers many genres, including memoirs, diaries and collected letters, drama, exploration and travellers' accounts, printed ephemera, political pamphlets, and much more. Comprised of books published from 1677 to 1900, and from a variety of countries (Canada, France, United Kingdom, United States).

Colonial Government Journals

This collection largely consists of the pre-1867 Journals and Appendices of the elected houses and assemblies of the colonies that make up present day Canada.

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