Milestone: Before 1910

The Dominion of Canada, uniting Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, came into existence, with John A. MacDonald as first prime minister.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death in Canada

Abortion became a crime in Canada, punishable by life in prison.

Ontario brought in its first Public Health Act.

The Sanitary Journal was launched by Dr Edward Playter, a general practitioner in Toronto. This was among the earliest journals in the world to focus on public health. From 1874 through 1892 the journal’s titled changed from The Sanitary Journal, to Man: A Canadian Home Magazine and later to Canada Health Journal.

Ontario’s Provincial Board of Health was established, which was expanded in 1884 to provide for more than 400 local boards of health.

A major smallpox epidemic in Quebec prompted the establishment in 1886 of a permanent Provincial Board of Health, which in 1888 required all municipalities to appoint local boards of health.

New Brunswick established a Provincial Board of Health, dividing the province into health districts with local boards.

Nova Scotia established the Central Board of Health.

The federal government establishes the Royal Commission on the Relations of Labour and Capital. In its report, the commission notes that many workers were being hurt on the job. It condemns oppressive working conditions in many industries. The commission makes a string of recommendations to improve working conditions – but the federal government does not act on them, saying to do so would infringe on provincial authority.