Charlottetown
Encyclopedia
Charlottetown is a Canadian
city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island
, and the county seat of Queens County
. Named after Queen
Charlotte
, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885. It was most famously the site of the Charlottetown Conference
in 1864, the first gathering of Canadian statesmen to debate the proposed Canadian Confederation
. From this, the city adopted as its motto "Cunabula Foederis" -- "Birthplace of Confederation".
The population of the Charlottetown census agglomeration in the 2006 census was 58,625, slightly less than half of the province's population (135,851).
The first European settlers in the area were French
; personnel from Fortress Louisbourg founded a settlement in 1720 named Port La Joye on the southwestern part of the harbour opposite the present-day city. This settlement was led by Michel Haché-Gallant, who used his sloop to ferry Acadian settlers from Louisbourg.
During King Georges War, the British had taken over the Island. French officer Ramezay sent 500 men to attack the British troops in the Battle at Port-la-Joye
. The French were successful in killing or taken prisoner forty British troops.
In August 1758, at the height of the French and Indian War
, a British
fleet took control of the settlement and the rest of the island, promptly deporting those French settlers that they could find in the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
(this being fully three years after the original Acadian Expulsion in Nova Scotia
). British forces built Fort Amherst near the site of the abandoned Port La Joye settlement to protect the entrance to the harbour.
in the colonial survey of 1764 by Captain Samuel Holland of the Royal Engineers. A year later, Charlottetown was made the colonial capital of St. John's Island. Further surveys conducted between 1768–1771 established the street grid and public squares which can be seen in the city's historic district. The town was named in honour of Queen Charlotte
, consort
of King George III
.
On November 17, 1775, the colony's new capital was ransacked by Massachusetts
-based privateers, participants in the American Revolutionary War
. During the attack, the colonial seal was stolen and several prisoners, including Phillips Callbeck
and Thomas Wright, were taken to Cambridge, Massachusetts
and later released.
In 1793, land had been set aside by Governor Fanning on the western limits of the community for use by the "Administrator of Government" (the Governor), and as such it became known informally as "Fanning's Bank" or just "Fanning Bank".
On November 29, 1798, St. John's Island was renamed to Prince Edward Island
in honour of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn who was the Commander-in-Chief, North America
.
In 1805, the local British garrison constructed a harbour defence called "Fort Edward" to the west of the capital's waterfront and the "Prince Edward Battery" manned this facility.
In 1835, "Government House
" was constructed at Fanning Bank as a residence for the colony's Governor. Today, it serves as the official residence for the Lieutenant Governor.
Between 1843 and 1847, a new legislative building was constructed in the community. Named the Colonial Building originally, following Confederation with Canada it gradually became known as "Province House
". The completion of this structure with Isaac Smith as builder/architect
was an important milestone in the history of the capital and it is still in use today as the provincial legislature as well as a National Historic Site, and is currently the second-oldest legislative seat in Canada.
On April 17, 1855, Charlottetown was incorporated as a city, holding its first council meeting on August 11 of that year. The community had 6,500 residents at the time of incorporation.
. Although many of the meetings and negotiations which would lead to Canadian Confederation
were held in Province House, various social events spilled over into the surrounding community.
On June 14, 1873 the "Government House Farm" at Fanning Bank was designated a municipal park, named Victoria Park
in honour of Queen Victoria
.
Prince Edward Island entered Confederation on July 1, 1873.
Aside from being the seat of colonial government, the community came to be noted during the early nineteenth century for shipbuilding
and its lumber industry as well as being a fishing port. The shipbuilding industry declined in the latter part of the nineteenth century. In August 1874, the Prince Edward Island Railway
opened its main line between Charlottetown and Summerside
. The railway, along with the shipping industry, would continue to drive industrial development on the waterfront for several decades to come.
The province's first health care facility, the Charlottetown Hospital
, was opened by the Diocese of Charlottetown in 1879, which was followed by the publicly operated Prince Edward Island Hospital
in 1884.
In 1885 the municipality saw its status upgraded to become a city.
vs. St. Dunstan's University) being instituted. St. Dunstan's was originally developed as a seminary for training priests, and the Maritime Christian College was founded in 1960 to train preachers for the Christian churches and churches of Christ in Prince Edward Island
and the Maritime Provinces.
As with most communities in North America, the automobile
shaped Charlottetown's development in the latter half of the twentieth century, when outlying farms in rural areas of Brighton, Spring Park, and Parkdale saw increased housing developments. The Charlottetown airfield in the nearby rural community of Sherwood
was upgraded as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
and operated for the duration of World War II as RCAF Station Charlottetown
, in conjunction with RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
and RCAF Station Summerside. After the war
the airfield was designated Charlottetown Airport
. Charlottetown's shipyards also saw extensive use during World War II, being used for refits and upgrades to numerous Royal Canadian Navy
warships. Further post-war development saw residential properties continue to expand in adjacent outlying areas, particularly in the neighboring farming communities of Sherwood, West Royalty, and East Royalty.
To commemorate the centennial of the Charlottetown Conference
, the ten provincial governments and the Government of Canada contributed to a national monument to the "Fathers of Confederation". The Confederation Centre of the Arts
, which opened in 1964, is a gift to the residents of Prince Edward Island, and contains a public library, nationally renowned art gallery, and a mainstage theatre
which has played to the Charlottetown Festival
every summer since.
In the 1960s, new public schools were constructed in the community, and in 1969 the city became home to the amalgamated University of Prince Edward Island
(UPEI), located on the campus of the former St. Dunstan's University. Together with the federal Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food's Charlottetown Experimental Farm (also known as Ravenwood Farm), these properties comprise a large green space surrounded by the city. The Prince of Wales College downtown campus became part of a new provincial community college system named Holland College
, in honour of the island's famous surveyor. The P.E.I. Comprehensive Development Plan in the late 1960s greatly contributed to the expansion of the provincial government in Charlottetown for the next decade.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
opened in 1982. In 1983, the national headquarters of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs
was moved to Charlottetown as part of a nation-wide federal government decentralization programme. In 1986, UPEI saw further expansion with the opening of the Atlantic Veterinary College
.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Charlottetown witnessed increased commercial office and retail development. A waterfront hotel and convention centre was completed in 1982 and helped to encourage diversification and renewal in the area, leading to several residential complexes and downtown shopping facilities. The abandonment of rail service in the province by CN Rail
in December 1989 led to the railway and industrial lands at the east end fo the waterfront being transformed into parks and cultural attractions.
The late 1990s and 2000s witnessed a change in the retail landscape with the opening of big box stores on the site of former traditional shopping centres and in new developments in the northern suburbs, particularly the neighbourhood of West Royalty, which is a key road junction.
In 1995 Charlottetown underwent municipal amalgamation. The present city was created by merging Charlottetown with Sherwood
, Parkdale
, Winsloe
, West Royalty
, and East Royalty
. Since amalgamation, the city occupies most of Queens Royalty
and part of the townships Lot 33
and Lot 34
.
The central business district continues to undergo incremental expansion as government and private sector office space is constructed and new institutional space is built or retrofitted, however retail space in the CBD has suffered as a result of outlying big box retail construction in recent years.
. The city is roughly V-shaped (pointed to the south) and constrained by the North (Yorke) and the Hillsborough (East)
Rivers to the west and east.
(Koppen
Dfb) moderated partially by Prince Edward Island's location in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
. Winters are milder than many inland cities at a similar latitude: the January average is -8.0 C, and lows reach -20 C or below on an average 8 days per season. However, the coastal position means that winter precipitation, more often as snow, is frequent and at times heavy: the seasonal snow average is 312 centimetres (123 in). Spring warming is gradual due to the ocean waters still being cold. Summers are mild, again due to the same maritime moderation: the July high is 23.2 °C (73.8 °F). Precipitation averages 1170 millimetres (46 in) per year, with the greatest amounts falling in late fall and winter.
, as well as the waterfront facing the harbour and the Hillsborough River. Adjacent communities to the original downtown included Brighton, Spring Park, Sherwood and Parkdale. The areas to the west, north and east of downtown have been developed in recent decades with several residential and commercial/retail developments, although the outer regions of the city are still predominantly farmland, as is an area in the centre of the city where an Agriculture Canada experimental crop research station is located.
The Agriculture Canada research station farm is the last remnant of the Queens Royalty common pasture lands and creates a large greenspace in the centre of the city, north of downtown. The development of the township of Queens Royalty, with its 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) estates surveyed during the 18th and 19th centuries along a north-south axis forced early road networks into a grid.
The present-day Charlottetown landscape is dominated by urban development along the waterfront areas, suburban development to the west, north and east, as well as the airport to the north. Commercial development, aside from the central business district, is concentrated along several road corridors:
The downtown core is augmented by several feeder streets:
Charlottetown comprises the following neighbourhoods which were one-time independent municipalities:
The original municipal boundary between Charlottetown and the common area of the township of Queens Royalty
was the northern edge of the original five hundred lots along present-day Euston Street. This boundary was extended north to Allen Street and Kirkwood Drive during the early twentieth century, taking in part of the rural community of Brighton west of the downtown. The village of Spring Park was amalgamated into the city in 1959, extending the city's boundary north to Hermitage Creek, which also formed the southern boundary of the village of West Royalty. Development filled in most vacant land in the Brighton and Spring Park neighbourhoods by the 1980s.
Municipal amalgamation in 1996 saw the outlying independent municipalities of Parkdale (town), Sherwood, East Royalty, West Royalty and Winsloe (villages) merged into a larger city of Charlottetown at the same time as rural communities east and west of the city were amalgamated to form the towns of Stratford and Cornwall respectively.
A green belt
is in place around the northern fringe of the municipal boundary, although it is poorly enforced by the provincial government, leading to suburban sprawl.
According to the 2006 census, the City of Charlottetown had 32,174 residents of whom approximately 45.5% were male and 54.5% were female. Children under five accounted for approximately 4.3% of the resident population of Charlottetown. This compares with 4.9% in Prince Edward Island
, and 5.3% for Canada
overall. Charlottetown is mainly dominated by people of European ancestry, but there is a growing Black-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian population.
In 2006, 17.2% of the resident population in Charlottetown were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 14.9% in Prince Edward Island and 13.7% in Canada; therefore, the median age is 41.3 years of age comparing to 40.8 years of age for Prince Edward Island and 39.5 years of age for all of Canada.
According to the 2001 census, the median income for a household in the city is $52,996, and the median income for a family is $77,008. Males have a median income of $42,519 versus $28,136 for females. The per capita income for the town is $29,710. 12.2% of the population and 8.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Between the 2001 and 2006 census, the population of Charlottetown fell by 0.2%, compared with an increase of 0.4% for Prince Edward Island as a whole. Population density of Charlottetown averaged 725.8 people per square kilometre, compared with a provincial average of 23.9 people per square kilometre for Prince Edward Island.
The Charlottetown census agglomeration area (CA) comprises Charlottetown and the neighbouring towns of Stratford
and Cornwall
, as well as adjoining rural areas of central-eastern Queens County
, namely Lots 31
, 34
, 35
, 36
, 48
, 49
and 65
. At the time of the 2006 census, the resident population for the CA was 58,625 people over an area measuring 728.03 square kilometres, compared with a resident population in the province of Prince Edward Island of 135,851 people. The 2010 projected population is estimated to be 61,210.
According to the 2001 Statistics Canada
census, more than nine out of ten inhabitants of the Charlottetown metropolitan self-identified as Christian. This breaks down to 91.7% Christian
(46.0% Roman Catholic, 42.6% Protestant, and 3.0% other Christian mostly Orthodox), 7.3% stating no religion, and other religions that comprise less than 1.0% includes Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish.
The city's municipal government is structured around a council comprising a mayor
and ten councillor
s elected using the ward system. The current mayor of the city is Clifford J. Lee.
Charlottetown also has 7 seats (50%) in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
, although it should be noted that some of these electoral districts occupy adjacent rural areas that are not within the city's boundaries.
The city has a single seat in the House of Commons
.
Charlottetown's economy is dominated by the public sector. The provincial, federal, and municipal levels of government are significant employers in the central part of Queens County, as well as healthcare and secondary and post-secondary education. Technology companies have also been increasing their share of the city's workforce in the past decade, however the actual numbers are quite small once call-centres are excluded. Other significant economic activities include light manufacturing, such as chemicals, bio-technology, and machining.
Prince Edward Air
, a charter airline, has its headquarters in Charlottetown.
.
Highway development in the latter part of the 20th century has resulted in the city being the focal point of several important routes in the province. Route 1, the Trans-Canada Highway
, partially bisects the northern suburbs, linking with Riverside Drive, the Hillsborough River Bridge and the North River Causeway/Bridge on a limited-access arterial highway linking the city with the Confederation Bridge
in the west and the Northumberland Ferries
terminal in the east. Route 2, the province's main east-west highway intersects with Route 1 in the city.
Charlottetown Airport
is the province's only airport with scheduled passenger service, serving 280,000 passengers per year.
Charlottetown Transit
is the latest incarnation of several attempts since the 1970s to implement a public transit system. It has provided scheduled bus service throughout the municipality since 2005.
The absence of public transit for many decades in Charlottetown resulted in a dependence on personal use of automobiles, with municipal governments constructing three monolithic above-ground parking garages in the city's historic district to house vehicles of downtown workers. The city also had a statistically higher proportion of taxis than the Canadian average as taxi service became a last-resort for many residents without access to a vehicle. Taxis in Charlottetown use a zone-based fare system as opposed to meters, and do not have a protective partition between the driver and passenger.
The Charlottetown Harbour Authority operates the city's commercial port and is currently expanding a marine terminal which was formerly operated by the federal government. Importation of gravel for construction is the main port activity.
The city's streetscape with a centrally planned downtown core containing many Victorian-era houses and buildings is an attraction, as well as the waterfront redevelopment project in recent decades which has seen walking trails and parks developed on former industrial lands. A new cruise ship
terminal was opened by the port authority in September 2007 which, proponents hope, will make the city a more attractive destination for the growing number of vessels operating in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Popular attractions within the city include the provincial legislature at Province House
, which hosted the Charlottetown Conference
, as well as Founders Hall, a recently redeveloped railway maintenance building which now houses an interactive trip through history tracing the development of Canada as a nation.
The Confederation Centre of the Arts
provides live theatre, including the Charlottetown Festival
during the summer months, as well as a nationally ranked art gallery. The Charlottetown Festival itself is headlined by Canada's most popular and longest-running musical, Anne of Green Gables - The Musical
, which is an adaptation of Island author Lucy Maud Montgomery
's novel. Several other small theaters and galleries can be found immediately surrounding the Confederation center including the Mac (MacKenzie theatre), the Arts Guild, and Pilar Shepard gallery.
There are 11 National Historic Sites of Canada located in Charlottetown, including Province House and the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
English public schooling (gr. K-12) in Charlottetown is provided by the Eastern School District
. French public schooling (gr. K-12) in the city is provided by the Commission scolaire de langue française
.
The city has 4 private schools, mostly operated by religious denominations. These include Grace Christian School, Immanuel Christian School and Full Circle Co-operative School.
Charlottetown is home to the University of Prince Edward Island
. UPEI has programs in Arts, Education, Science, Business, and Nursing. The provincial university also houses the Atlantic Veterinary College
. UPEI has a number of sport teams that compete competitively in men's and women's hockey, soccer, rugby, basketball, and volleyball, and women's field hockey. These sports teams are called The Panthers.
Charlottetown is also home to several campuses of Holland College
, the province's community college. In addition, there are various private training colleges in the city.
Charlottetown has numerous parks and playing fields for soccer, baseball, softball, football, rugby, and field hockey. There are also many outdoor tennis courts, recreational trails, and running tracks. Most public schools in the city have gymnasiums available for public use outside of school hours and there are community-owned and operated hockey arenas and swimming pools, as well as several privately operated fitness centres.
Amateur varsity team sports are prevalent for males and females in the city's two senior high schools, Colonel Gray and Charlottetown Rural, as well as the University of Prince Edward Island
's varsity teams (the UPEI Panthers
) through the institution's affiliation with Canadian Interuniversity Sport
. Holland College also has varsity teams, the Holland Hurricanes.
There is one junior hockey team in the community: the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
's P.E.I. Rocket
franchise. There are currently no professional sports teams based in the city since the demise of the P.E.I. Senators.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, and the county seat of Queens County
Queens County, Prince Edward Island
Queens County is located in central Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county is geographically divided by the Hillsborough River's estuary, a tidal inlet which almost splits the county and Prince Edward Island...
. Named after Queen
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885. It was most famously the site of the Charlottetown Conference
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
in 1864, the first gathering of Canadian statesmen to debate the proposed Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
. From this, the city adopted as its motto "Cunabula Foederis" -- "Birthplace of Confederation".
The population of the Charlottetown census agglomeration in the 2006 census was 58,625, slightly less than half of the province's population (135,851).
1720 - 1758
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; personnel from Fortress Louisbourg founded a settlement in 1720 named Port La Joye on the southwestern part of the harbour opposite the present-day city. This settlement was led by Michel Haché-Gallant, who used his sloop to ferry Acadian settlers from Louisbourg.
During King Georges War, the British had taken over the Island. French officer Ramezay sent 500 men to attack the British troops in the Battle at Port-la-Joye
Battle at Port-la-Joye
The Battle of Port-la-Joye was a battle in King George's War that took place between New England and Canadien forces on the banks of present-day Hillsborough River, Prince Edward Island in the summer of 1746...
. The French were successful in killing or taken prisoner forty British troops.
In August 1758, at the height of the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
fleet took control of the settlement and the rest of the island, promptly deporting those French settlers that they could find in the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
The Ile Saint-Jean Campaign was a series of military operations in fall 1758, during the French and Indian War, to deport the Acadians that either lived on Ile Saint-Jean or had taken refuge there from earlier deportation operations...
(this being fully three years after the original Acadian Expulsion in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
). British forces built Fort Amherst near the site of the abandoned Port La Joye settlement to protect the entrance to the harbour.
1759 - 1855
Charlottetown was selected as the site for the county seat of Queens CountyQueens County, Prince Edward Island
Queens County is located in central Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county is geographically divided by the Hillsborough River's estuary, a tidal inlet which almost splits the county and Prince Edward Island...
in the colonial survey of 1764 by Captain Samuel Holland of the Royal Engineers. A year later, Charlottetown was made the colonial capital of St. John's Island. Further surveys conducted between 1768–1771 established the street grid and public squares which can be seen in the city's historic district. The town was named in honour of Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
, consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
-based privateers, participants in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. During the attack, the colonial seal was stolen and several prisoners, including Phillips Callbeck
Phillips Callbeck
Phillips Callbeck was a merchant, lawyer and political figure in St. John's Island . He served as administrator for the island from 1775 to 1780....
and Thomas Wright, were taken to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
and later released.
In 1793, land had been set aside by Governor Fanning on the western limits of the community for use by the "Administrator of Government" (the Governor), and as such it became known informally as "Fanning's Bank" or just "Fanning Bank".
On November 29, 1798, St. John's Island was renamed to Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
in honour of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn who was the Commander-in-Chief, North America
Commander-in-Chief, North America
The office of Commander-in-Chief, North America was a military position of the British Army. Established in 1755 in the early years of the Seven Years' War, holders of the post were generally responsible for land-based military personnel and activities in and around those parts of North America...
.
In 1805, the local British garrison constructed a harbour defence called "Fort Edward" to the west of the capital's waterfront and the "Prince Edward Battery" manned this facility.
In 1835, "Government House
Government House (Prince Edward Island)
Government House of Prince Edward Island, often referred to as Fanningbank, is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, as well as that in Charlottetown of the Canadian monarch...
" was constructed at Fanning Bank as a residence for the colony's Governor. Today, it serves as the official residence for the Lieutenant Governor.
Between 1843 and 1847, a new legislative building was constructed in the community. Named the Colonial Building originally, following Confederation with Canada it gradually became known as "Province House
Province House (Prince Edward Island)
Province House is where the Prince Edward Island Legislature, known as the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, has met since 1847. The building is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown; it is Canada's second-oldest seat of government.- History...
". The completion of this structure with Isaac Smith as builder/architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was an important milestone in the history of the capital and it is still in use today as the provincial legislature as well as a National Historic Site, and is currently the second-oldest legislative seat in Canada.
On April 17, 1855, Charlottetown was incorporated as a city, holding its first council meeting on August 11 of that year. The community had 6,500 residents at the time of incorporation.
1856 - 1885
Between September 1–7, 1864, Charlottetown hosted what is now termed the Charlottetown ConferenceCharlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
. Although many of the meetings and negotiations which would lead to Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
were held in Province House, various social events spilled over into the surrounding community.
Victoria Park, Charlottetown
Victoria Park is a waterfront park in the Canadian city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It is about 15 hectares in area.-History:...
in honour of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
.
Prince Edward Island entered Confederation on July 1, 1873.
Aside from being the seat of colonial government, the community came to be noted during the early nineteenth century for shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and its lumber industry as well as being a fishing port. The shipbuilding industry declined in the latter part of the nineteenth century. In August 1874, the Prince Edward Island Railway
Prince Edward Island Railway
The Prince Edward Island Railway was a historic Canadian railway.-Construction:Located wholly within the province of Prince Edward Island, construction of the PEIR started in 1871, financed by the United Kingdom...
opened its main line between Charlottetown and Summerside
Summerside, Prince Edward Island
Summerside is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is the second largest city in the province and the principal municipality for the western part of the island.- History :...
. The railway, along with the shipping industry, would continue to drive industrial development on the waterfront for several decades to come.
The province's first health care facility, the Charlottetown Hospital
Charlottetown Hospital
The Charlottetown Hospital is a former acute care hospital that was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It was the first public hospital established in the province....
, was opened by the Diocese of Charlottetown in 1879, which was followed by the publicly operated Prince Edward Island Hospital
Prince Edward Island Hospital
The Prince Edward Island Hospital is a former acute care hospital that was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It was the first public general hospital established in the province and the largest such facility throughout its history....
in 1884.
In 1885 the municipality saw its status upgraded to become a city.
1886 - 1950
Religion played a central role in the development of Charlottetown's institutions with non-denominational (i.e. Protestant) and Roman Catholic public schools ( Catholic Queen Square, Notre Dame, and St Josephs. vs Protestant West Kent and Prince Street) (hospitals (Prince Edward Island Hospital vs. Charlottetown Hospital), and post-secondary institutions (Prince of Wales CollegePrince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College is a former university college, which was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. PWC merged with St. Dunstan's University in 1969 to form the University of Prince Edward Island....
vs. St. Dunstan's University) being instituted. St. Dunstan's was originally developed as a seminary for training priests, and the Maritime Christian College was founded in 1960 to train preachers for the Christian churches and churches of Christ in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
and the Maritime Provinces.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
shaped Charlottetown's development in the latter half of the twentieth century, when outlying farms in rural areas of Brighton, Spring Park, and Parkdale saw increased housing developments. The Charlottetown airfield in the nearby rural community of Sherwood
Sherwood, Prince Edward Island
Sherwood is a neighbourhood of the city of Charlottetown in central Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.Sherwood is centrally located in Charlottetown on the border of Queens Royalty and the township of Lot 33....
was upgraded as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
and operated for the duration of World War II as RCAF Station Charlottetown
RCAF Station Charlottetown
RCAF Station Charlottetown was a Royal Canadian Air Force station located in Sherwood, Prince Edward Island. Today's Charlottetown Airport maintains a remnant of the base's runways near its general aviation terminal, however all buildings and most infrastructure from the base has been...
, in conjunction with RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant was a Royal Canadian Air Force station in Mount Pleasant, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Two of its runways remain in use by members of the Experimental Aircraft Association....
and RCAF Station Summerside. After the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the airfield was designated Charlottetown Airport
Charlottetown Airport
Charlottetown Airport, , is located north of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The airport is currently run by the Charlottetown Airport Authority, is owned by Transport Canada and forms part of the National Airports System....
. Charlottetown's shipyards also saw extensive use during World War II, being used for refits and upgrades to numerous Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
warships. Further post-war development saw residential properties continue to expand in adjacent outlying areas, particularly in the neighboring farming communities of Sherwood, West Royalty, and East Royalty.
1951 - present
In 1959, the suburban village of Spring Park was amalgamated into the city, extending the city's northern boundary from Kirkwood Drive to Hermitage Creek and included the campus of St. Dunstan's University.To commemorate the centennial of the Charlottetown Conference
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
, the ten provincial governments and the Government of Canada contributed to a national monument to the "Fathers of Confederation". The Confederation Centre of the Arts
Confederation Centre of the Arts
The Confederation Centre of the Arts is a cultural centre dedicated to the visual and performing arts located in the city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.-History:...
, which opened in 1964, is a gift to the residents of Prince Edward Island, and contains a public library, nationally renowned art gallery, and a mainstage theatre
Mainstage
Main stage theatre is that which falls between studio theatre and large-scale events. It is usually performed in a proscenium theatre or on a thrust stage. Main stage is also used to describe the performance space with the largest audience capacity at a performing arts festival or other venues.-...
which has played to the Charlottetown Festival
Charlottetown Festival
The Charlottetown Festival is a seasonal Canadian musical theatre festival which runs from late May to mid-October every year since 1965.Named after its host city, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, since its inception the festival has showcased Canada's most popular and longest-running musical,...
every summer since.
University of Prince Edward Island
The University of Prince Edward Island is a public liberal arts university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the sole university in the province. Founded in 1969, it traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales...
(UPEI), located on the campus of the former St. Dunstan's University. Together with the federal Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food's Charlottetown Experimental Farm (also known as Ravenwood Farm), these properties comprise a large green space surrounded by the city. The Prince of Wales College downtown campus became part of a new provincial community college system named Holland College
Holland College
Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It is named after British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland...
, in honour of the island's famous surveyor. The P.E.I. Comprehensive Development Plan in the late 1960s greatly contributed to the expansion of the provincial government in Charlottetown for the next decade.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Prince Edward Island
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is a 274 bed acute care hospital located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, making it the largest hospital in the province....
opened in 1982. In 1983, the national headquarters of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs Canada
The Department of Veterans Affairs , also referred to as Veterans Affairs Canada , is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for pensions/benefits and services for war veterans, retired personnel of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their families,...
was moved to Charlottetown as part of a nation-wide federal government decentralization programme. In 1986, UPEI saw further expansion with the opening of the Atlantic Veterinary College
Atlantic Veterinary College
The Atlantic Veterinary College is a well accredited and worldwide recognized veterinary school at University of Prince Edward Island, located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.- History :...
.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Charlottetown witnessed increased commercial office and retail development. A waterfront hotel and convention centre was completed in 1982 and helped to encourage diversification and renewal in the area, leading to several residential complexes and downtown shopping facilities. The abandonment of rail service in the province by CN Rail
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
in December 1989 led to the railway and industrial lands at the east end fo the waterfront being transformed into parks and cultural attractions.
The late 1990s and 2000s witnessed a change in the retail landscape with the opening of big box stores on the site of former traditional shopping centres and in new developments in the northern suburbs, particularly the neighbourhood of West Royalty, which is a key road junction.
In 1995 Charlottetown underwent municipal amalgamation. The present city was created by merging Charlottetown with Sherwood
Sherwood, Prince Edward Island
Sherwood is a neighbourhood of the city of Charlottetown in central Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.Sherwood is centrally located in Charlottetown on the border of Queens Royalty and the township of Lot 33....
, Parkdale
Parkdale, Prince Edward Island
Parkdale is a neighbourhood of the city of Charlottetown in central Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.Parkdale's location immediately northeast of Charlottetown and southeast of Sherwood saw it grow from being a rural farming community in the Queens Royalty to become a village on November...
, Winsloe
Winsloe, Prince Edward Island
Winsloe is a neighbourhood in the northwestern part of the Canadian city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.Winsloe was named for John Hodges Winsloe, the owner of the majority of the land in the area during the mid-19th century....
, West Royalty
West Royalty, Prince Edward Island
West Royalty is a neighbourhood of the city of Charlottetown in central Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.-Location:West Royalty is located in the northwestern part of the city on the border of Spring Park, Sherwood and Winsloe...
, and East Royalty
East Royalty, Prince Edward Island
East Royalty is a neighbourhood of the Canadian city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.East Royalty is located in the northeast portion of the city and occupies the eastern part of the township of Queens Royalty....
. Since amalgamation, the city occupies most of Queens Royalty
Queens Royalty, Prince Edward Island
Queens Royalty is the royalty for Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.The township was established as part of the colonial survey of 1764 undertaken by Capt. Samuel J. Holland. It was intended to host the colonial capital of Prince Edward Island and [county seat] of Queens County,...
and part of the townships Lot 33
Lot 33, Prince Edward Island
Lot 33 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Charlotte Parish....
and Lot 34
Lot 34, Prince Edward Island
Lot 34 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Charlotte Parish. As of the 2006 census, there were 2,355 people living on a land area of ....
.
The central business district continues to undergo incremental expansion as government and private sector office space is constructed and new institutional space is built or retrofitted, however retail space in the CBD has suffered as a result of outlying big box retail construction in recent years.
Geography
Charlottetown is situated on its namesake harbour, which is formed by the confluence of three rivers in the central part of the island's south shore. The harbour itself opens onto the Northumberland StraitNorthumberland Strait
The Northumberland Strait is a strait in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in eastern Canada...
. The city is roughly V-shaped (pointed to the south) and constrained by the North (Yorke) and the Hillsborough (East)
Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
The Hillsborough River, also known as the East River, is a Canadian river in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island.-Battle at Port-la-Joye :...
Rivers to the west and east.
Climate
Charlottetown has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Koppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfb) moderated partially by Prince Edward Island's location in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
. Winters are milder than many inland cities at a similar latitude: the January average is -8.0 C, and lows reach -20 C or below on an average 8 days per season. However, the coastal position means that winter precipitation, more often as snow, is frequent and at times heavy: the seasonal snow average is 312 centimetres (123 in). Spring warming is gradual due to the ocean waters still being cold. Summers are mild, again due to the same maritime moderation: the July high is 23.2 °C (73.8 °F). Precipitation averages 1170 millimetres (46 in) per year, with the greatest amounts falling in late fall and winter.
Cityscape and architecture
Downtown Charlottetown includes the city's historic five hundred lots, as surveyed by Captain Samuel HollandSamuel Holland
Samuel Johannes Holland was a Royal Engineer and first Surveyor General of British North America.-Life in the Netherlands:...
, as well as the waterfront facing the harbour and the Hillsborough River. Adjacent communities to the original downtown included Brighton, Spring Park, Sherwood and Parkdale. The areas to the west, north and east of downtown have been developed in recent decades with several residential and commercial/retail developments, although the outer regions of the city are still predominantly farmland, as is an area in the centre of the city where an Agriculture Canada experimental crop research station is located.
The Agriculture Canada research station farm is the last remnant of the Queens Royalty common pasture lands and creates a large greenspace in the centre of the city, north of downtown. The development of the township of Queens Royalty, with its 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) estates surveyed during the 18th and 19th centuries along a north-south axis forced early road networks into a grid.
- University Avenue/Malpeque Road
- North River Road/Lower Malpeque Road
- St. Peter's Road
- Mount Edward Road
- Kensington Road
The downtown core is augmented by several feeder streets:
- Queen Street
- Water Street
- Grafton Street
Neighbourhoods
- Charlottetown (original municipality)
- Brighton
- Spring Park
- Parkdale
- Sherwood
- East Royalty (including Hillsborough Park)
- West Royalty
- Winsloe
The original municipal boundary between Charlottetown and the common area of the township of Queens Royalty
Queens Royalty, Prince Edward Island
Queens Royalty is the royalty for Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.The township was established as part of the colonial survey of 1764 undertaken by Capt. Samuel J. Holland. It was intended to host the colonial capital of Prince Edward Island and [county seat] of Queens County,...
was the northern edge of the original five hundred lots along present-day Euston Street. This boundary was extended north to Allen Street and Kirkwood Drive during the early twentieth century, taking in part of the rural community of Brighton west of the downtown. The village of Spring Park was amalgamated into the city in 1959, extending the city's boundary north to Hermitage Creek, which also formed the southern boundary of the village of West Royalty. Development filled in most vacant land in the Brighton and Spring Park neighbourhoods by the 1980s.
Municipal amalgamation in 1996 saw the outlying independent municipalities of Parkdale (town), Sherwood, East Royalty, West Royalty and Winsloe (villages) merged into a larger city of Charlottetown at the same time as rural communities east and west of the city were amalgamated to form the towns of Stratford and Cornwall respectively.
A green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
is in place around the northern fringe of the municipal boundary, although it is poorly enforced by the provincial government, leading to suburban sprawl.
Demography
| Ethnic Origin | Population | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Scottish people The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,... |
24,345 | 42.2% |
| Canadian | 20,530 | 35.6% |
| English English people The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens... |
19,205 | 33.3% |
| Irish Irish people The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha... |
18,775 | 32.5% |
| French French people The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups... |
10,675 | 18.5% |
| German | 3,335 | 5.8% |
| Dutch Dutch people The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United... |
2,000 | 3.5% |
| First Nations First Nations First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The... |
1,390 | 2.4% |
| Welsh Welsh people The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have... |
1,310 | 2.3% |
| Acadian | 1,070 | 1.9% |
| Lebanese Lebanese people The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state.... |
510 | 0.9% |
According to the 2006 census, the City of Charlottetown had 32,174 residents of whom approximately 45.5% were male and 54.5% were female. Children under five accounted for approximately 4.3% of the resident population of Charlottetown. This compares with 4.9% in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, and 5.3% for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
overall. Charlottetown is mainly dominated by people of European ancestry, but there is a growing Black-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian population.
In 2006, 17.2% of the resident population in Charlottetown were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 14.9% in Prince Edward Island and 13.7% in Canada; therefore, the median age is 41.3 years of age comparing to 40.8 years of age for Prince Edward Island and 39.5 years of age for all of Canada.
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1851 | 4,717 |
| 1861 | 6,706 |
| 1871 | 8,807 |
| 1881 | 11,485 |
| 1891 | 11,373 |
| 1901 | 12,080 |
| 1911 | 11,198 |
| 1921 | 12,347 |
| 1931 | 12,361 |
| 1941 | 14,460 |
| 1951 | 15,887 |
| 1961 | 18,318 |
| 1971 | 19,133 |
| 1981 | 15,282 |
| 1991 | 15,396 |
| 2001 | 32,245 |
| 2006 | 32,174 |
According to the 2001 census, the median income for a household in the city is $52,996, and the median income for a family is $77,008. Males have a median income of $42,519 versus $28,136 for females. The per capita income for the town is $29,710. 12.2% of the population and 8.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Between the 2001 and 2006 census, the population of Charlottetown fell by 0.2%, compared with an increase of 0.4% for Prince Edward Island as a whole. Population density of Charlottetown averaged 725.8 people per square kilometre, compared with a provincial average of 23.9 people per square kilometre for Prince Edward Island.
The Charlottetown census agglomeration area (CA) comprises Charlottetown and the neighbouring towns of Stratford
Stratford, Prince Edward Island
Stratford is a Canadian suburban town located in central Prince Edward Island.It is situated on a peninsula formed by the Hillsborough River estuary, Charlottetown Harbour, and Hillsborough Bay - a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait....
and Cornwall
Cornwall, Prince Edward Island
Cornwall is a Canadian suburban town located in Queens County, Prince Edward Island.The town is located immediately west of the provincial capital Charlottetown and functions as a bedroom community.-History:...
, as well as adjoining rural areas of central-eastern Queens County
Queens County, Prince Edward Island
Queens County is located in central Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county is geographically divided by the Hillsborough River's estuary, a tidal inlet which almost splits the county and Prince Edward Island...
, namely Lots 31
Lot 31, Prince Edward Island
Lot 31 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Hillsboro Parish....
, 34
Lot 34, Prince Edward Island
Lot 34 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Charlotte Parish. As of the 2006 census, there were 2,355 people living on a land area of ....
, 35
Lot 35, Prince Edward Island
Lot 35 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Bedford Parish....
, 36
Lot 36, Prince Edward Island
Lot 36 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Bedford Parish....
, 48
Lot 48, Prince Edward Island
Lot 48 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Bedford Parish....
, 49
Lot 49, Prince Edward Island
Lot 49 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Bedford Parish....
and 65
Lot 65, Prince Edward Island
Lot 65 is a township in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Hillsboro Parish....
. At the time of the 2006 census, the resident population for the CA was 58,625 people over an area measuring 728.03 square kilometres, compared with a resident population in the province of Prince Edward Island of 135,851 people. The 2010 projected population is estimated to be 61,210.
According to the 2001 Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
census, more than nine out of ten inhabitants of the Charlottetown metropolitan self-identified as Christian. This breaks down to 91.7% Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
(46.0% Roman Catholic, 42.6% Protestant, and 3.0% other Christian mostly Orthodox), 7.3% stating no religion, and other religions that comprise less than 1.0% includes Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish.
Government
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and ten councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s elected using the ward system. The current mayor of the city is Clifford J. Lee.
Charlottetown also has 7 seats (50%) in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown....
, although it should be noted that some of these electoral districts occupy adjacent rural areas that are not within the city's boundaries.
The city has a single seat in the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Economy
Prince Edward Air
Prince Edward Air
Prince Edward Air Ltd. is an airline formerly headquartered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The airline offered a variety of services including: scheduled cargo, ad-hoc charter, air medevac, maintenance, sales and service.-History:...
, a charter airline, has its headquarters in Charlottetown.
Transportation
Charlottetown's central location in the province makes it a natural transportation hub. Historically it was the centre of the province's railway networkPrince Edward Island Railway
The Prince Edward Island Railway was a historic Canadian railway.-Construction:Located wholly within the province of Prince Edward Island, construction of the PEIR started in 1871, financed by the United Kingdom...
.
Highway development in the latter part of the 20th century has resulted in the city being the focal point of several important routes in the province. Route 1, the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
, partially bisects the northern suburbs, linking with Riverside Drive, the Hillsborough River Bridge and the North River Causeway/Bridge on a limited-access arterial highway linking the city with the Confederation Bridge
Confederation Bridge
The Confederation Bridge is a bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick, Canada. It was commonly referred to as the "Fixed Link" by residents of Prince Edward Island prior to its official naming. Construction took place...
in the west and the Northumberland Ferries
Northumberland Ferries Limited
Northumberland Ferries Limited is a ferry company operating in eastern Canada and headquartered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island...
terminal in the east. Route 2, the province's main east-west highway intersects with Route 1 in the city.
Charlottetown Airport
Charlottetown Airport
Charlottetown Airport, , is located north of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The airport is currently run by the Charlottetown Airport Authority, is owned by Transport Canada and forms part of the National Airports System....
is the province's only airport with scheduled passenger service, serving 280,000 passengers per year.
Charlottetown Transit
Charlottetown Transit
Charlottetown Transit is a Canadian public transport agency operating buses in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.Charlottetown Transit was founded in 2005, the 150th anniversary year of the city's incoporation. It is funded by the municipal and federal levels of government and provides service...
is the latest incarnation of several attempts since the 1970s to implement a public transit system. It has provided scheduled bus service throughout the municipality since 2005.
The absence of public transit for many decades in Charlottetown resulted in a dependence on personal use of automobiles, with municipal governments constructing three monolithic above-ground parking garages in the city's historic district to house vehicles of downtown workers. The city also had a statistically higher proportion of taxis than the Canadian average as taxi service became a last-resort for many residents without access to a vehicle. Taxis in Charlottetown use a zone-based fare system as opposed to meters, and do not have a protective partition between the driver and passenger.
The Charlottetown Harbour Authority operates the city's commercial port and is currently expanding a marine terminal which was formerly operated by the federal government. Importation of gravel for construction is the main port activity.
Tourism
Charlottetown is a popular destination in eastern Canada for visitors from other Maritime provinces, central Canada and the northeastern United States, as the city has a central location in the province as well as various services.Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
terminal was opened by the port authority in September 2007 which, proponents hope, will make the city a more attractive destination for the growing number of vessels operating in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Popular attractions within the city include the provincial legislature at Province House
Province House (Prince Edward Island)
Province House is where the Prince Edward Island Legislature, known as the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, has met since 1847. The building is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown; it is Canada's second-oldest seat of government.- History...
, which hosted the Charlottetown Conference
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
, as well as Founders Hall, a recently redeveloped railway maintenance building which now houses an interactive trip through history tracing the development of Canada as a nation.
The Confederation Centre of the Arts
Confederation Centre of the Arts
The Confederation Centre of the Arts is a cultural centre dedicated to the visual and performing arts located in the city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.-History:...
provides live theatre, including the Charlottetown Festival
Charlottetown Festival
The Charlottetown Festival is a seasonal Canadian musical theatre festival which runs from late May to mid-October every year since 1965.Named after its host city, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, since its inception the festival has showcased Canada's most popular and longest-running musical,...
during the summer months, as well as a nationally ranked art gallery. The Charlottetown Festival itself is headlined by Canada's most popular and longest-running musical, Anne of Green Gables - The Musical
Anne of Green Gables - The Musical
Anne Of Green Gables - The Musical is a musical based on the novel, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The book is by Don Harron, the music is by Norman Campbell and the lyrics by Don Harron, Norman Campbell, Elaine Campbell and Mavor Moore...
, which is an adaptation of Island author Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE , called "Maud" by family and friends and publicly known as L.M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908. Anne of Green Gables was an immediate success...
's novel. Several other small theaters and galleries can be found immediately surrounding the Confederation center including the Mac (MacKenzie theatre), the Arts Guild, and Pilar Shepard gallery.
There are 11 National Historic Sites of Canada located in Charlottetown, including Province House and the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
Education
Eastern School District
The Eastern School District is a Canadian school district in Prince Edward Island.The Eastern School District is an Anglophone district operating 43 public schools in Queens and Kings Counties with its headquarters in Stratford...
. French public schooling (gr. K-12) in the city is provided by the Commission scolaire de langue française
Commission scolaire de langue française
The Commission scolaire de langue française is a Canadian school district in Prince Edward Island.The Commission scolaire de langue française is a Francophone district operating 6 public schools across the province.Current enrollment is approximately 673 students and ? teachers...
.
The city has 4 private schools, mostly operated by religious denominations. These include Grace Christian School, Immanuel Christian School and Full Circle Co-operative School.
Charlottetown is home to the University of Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island
The University of Prince Edward Island is a public liberal arts university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the sole university in the province. Founded in 1969, it traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales...
. UPEI has programs in Arts, Education, Science, Business, and Nursing. The provincial university also houses the Atlantic Veterinary College
Atlantic Veterinary College
The Atlantic Veterinary College is a well accredited and worldwide recognized veterinary school at University of Prince Edward Island, located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.- History :...
. UPEI has a number of sport teams that compete competitively in men's and women's hockey, soccer, rugby, basketball, and volleyball, and women's field hockey. These sports teams are called The Panthers.
Charlottetown is also home to several campuses of Holland College
Holland College
Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It is named after British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland...
, the province's community college. In addition, there are various private training colleges in the city.
Sports
Amateur varsity team sports are prevalent for males and females in the city's two senior high schools, Colonel Gray and Charlottetown Rural, as well as the University of Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island
The University of Prince Edward Island is a public liberal arts university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the sole university in the province. Founded in 1969, it traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales...
's varsity teams (the UPEI Panthers
UPEI Panthers
The UPEI Panthers are the men's and women's athletic teams that represent the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The UPEI Panthers have teams playing in the Atlantic University Sport conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport , including men's...
) through the institution's affiliation with Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
. Holland College also has varsity teams, the Holland Hurricanes.
There is one junior hockey team in the community: the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
's P.E.I. Rocket
P.E.I. Rocket
The P.E.I. Rocket are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The franchise was granted in 1999, however the Rocket were originally located in Montreal, Quebec and called the Montreal Rocket. In 2003 they were relocated to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island...
franchise. There are currently no professional sports teams based in the city since the demise of the P.E.I. Senators.
Notable natives and residents
- Milton AcornMilton AcornMilton James Rhode Acorn , nicknamed The People's Poet by his peers, was a Canadian poet, writer, and playwright. He was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island....
- Canadian poet - Jared ConnaughtonJared Connaughton-Biography:He was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The son of Susan and Neal Connaughton and resident of New Haven, Prince Edward Island...
- Canadian Olympic athlete - Dorothy CorriganDorothy CorriganMary Dorothy Corrigan was a Canadian politician. She was the 38th Mayor of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and to date, the only female to hold that office....
- First and only female mayor of Charlottetown - Lloyd DuffyLloyd DuffyLloyd Duffy is a retired Canadian Champion jockey in Thoroughbred flat horse racing who uniquely is also a licensed driver of harness racing horses....
- P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame jockey - Mike Duffy - Canadian Senator and television journalist
- Vern HandrahanVern HandrahanJames Vernon Handrahan is a Canadian former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Kansas City Athletics...
- Former Major League Baseball player - Haywire - Popular music group
- Safwan Javed - Member of Wide Mouth MasonWide Mouth MasonWide Mouth Mason is a Canadian blues-based rock band, consisting of Shaun Verreault , Safwan Javed , and Gordie Johnson . Former bassist Earl Pereira was also co-founder of Wide Mouth Mason...
- Lorie KaneLorie KaneLorie Kane, CM is a professional golfer on the LPGA Tour. She began her career on the LPGA Tour in 1996 and has four career victories on the tour...
- Professional LPGA golfer - Joey KitsonJoey KitsonJoey Kitson from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island is the three-time ECMA Award winning vocalist for Rawlins Cross. Kitson is currently starring in a production of "Stan Rogers - A Matter of Heart" a musical review of the legendary Stan Rogers at the Mackenzie Theatre in downtown Charlottetown...
- Lead singer of Juno nominated/seven time ECMA Award winning Celtic rock group, Rawlings Cross - Troy LittleTroy Little-External links:* – Troy Little's official website* – Troy Little's official BlogspotText interviews* at Comic Book Resources Video interviews from CBC from Eastlink TV...
- Comic book artist, graphic designer, co-creator of "Angora Napkin" - Al MacAdamAl MacAdamReginald Allan MacAdam is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent 12 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1973 and 1985, and was twice selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game. He is best known for his time with the Minnesota North Stars, where he was one of the franchise's...
- former NHL player Minnesota North StarsMinnesota North StarsThe Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white... - Amber MacArthurAmber MacArthurAmber Dawn MacArthur is a Canadian television and netcasting personality. MacArthur is currently the co-host of BNN's App Central....
- Canadian television personality - David MacEachernDavid MacEachernDavid "Dave" MacEachern is a Canadian bobsledder who competed in the 1990s. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he won the gold medal in the two-man event at Nagano in 1998...
- Olympic Gold Meadallist Canadian bobsledder - Martha MacIsaacMartha MacIsaacMartha MacIsaac is a Canadian television and film actress and former child actress....
- Actress - Tara MacLeanTara MacLeanTara MacLean is a Canadian singer and songwriter...
- singer/songwriter - Cynthia MacLeodCynthia MacLeodCynthia MacLeod is a Canadian fiddler from Prince Edward Island. She describes her fiddling style as "Cape Breton". In addition to recording, hosting standing-room-only ceilidhs in Brackley Beach, and touring, she teaches workshops both in Canada and the United States.-Discography:*Head over Heels...
- Fiddler ECMA Nominee/PEI Music Award winner - Adam McQuaidAdam McQuaidAdam McQuaid is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League...
- NHL player Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... - Don Messer - Fiddler (originally born Fredericton, NB); Canadian radio then TV show, Don Messer's Jubilee
- Heather MoyseHeather MoyseHeather Moyse is a Canadian athlete, representing Canada in international competition as a bobsledder and rugby union player, and competing at the Canadian intercollegiate level in rugby, soccer and track and field.-Awards:...
- Olympic Gold Medalist (Bobsledding) - Chris MurphyChris Murphy (Canadian musician)Chris Murphy is a member of the Canadian rock band Sloan.Although born in Prince Edward Island, Murphy is commonly associated with Nova Scotia; like his fellow bandmates, he currently resides in Toronto...
- Member of SloanSloan (band)Sloan is a Toronto-based alternative rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout their 20-year tenure Sloan has released 10 LPs , two EPs, a live album, a "best of" collection and no less than thirty singles... - Brad RichardsBrad RichardsBradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...
- NHL hockey player - Jackie TorrensJackie TorrensJackie Torrens is a Canadian writer, actor, and journalist, best known for her CBC radio and television appearances, and for acting roles in the television series Made in Canada and Robson Arms...
- Two time Gemini Award winning (Made In Canada) comedian, actor, writer and journalist - Jonathan TorrensJonathan TorrensJonathan Ormond Torrens is a Canadian actor and television personality best known for his co-hosting of Street Cents, his talk show Jonovision, and his role as "J-Roc" in the popular Canadian mockumentary Trailer Park Boys...
- Gemini nominated actor, writer and producer - Two Hours TrafficTwo Hours TrafficTwo Hours Traffic is a Canadian indie rock band, based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They are named after a line in the prologue to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Although often described as the band that Halifax guitarist Joel Plaskett took "under his wing", they have increasingly...
- Pop/Rock band - Rick VaiveRick VaiveRichard Claude Vaive is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1992, and is best remembered as the first 50 goal scorer in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.-Bio:...
- former NHL player Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - Joel WardJoel Ward (ice hockey)Joel Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Early life:...
- NHL hockey player Nashville PredatorsNashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...