The year 1791 marked a turning point in the history of both the British Empire in North America and Québec City. The Constitutional Act came into force, dividing the large British North American colony into separate colonies, each with its own parliament. And so Lower Canada was formed, with Québec City as its parliamentary capital.

For several decades, the capital of Lower Canada developed its economy and immigrants flocked there. These included many British newcomers drawn by the logging and shipbuilding industries. Québec City’s population grew from around 14,000 in 1791 to around 40,000 in 1840. By then, nearly 40% of residents were English-speaking. Though now a minority, Indigenous Peoples continued to be present in the city and surrounding area.