Northwestern Alberta (Peace River district)
Northwestern Alberta settled later than the southern and central prairies and parkland. When the available land was taken in those regions, the long sunny summer days of the Peace River district became desirable. Settlers still needed to be prepared for the harsh and bitter the winters in exchange for the long days of the growing season. They were able to produce quick-growing crops on the fertile plains of the region.
- 1899 Jean A. Lemieux established the Peace River Colonization and Land Development Company. Lemieux was a priest from Quebec. The company was established to create a block settlement for French Canadians. Lemieux managed to have about 20 townships set aside, but nothing ever came of the scheme.
- Two Oblate priests, Jean-Baptiste Giroux and Constant Falher promoted homesteading south of the Peace River. In 1912, 24 settlers applied for homesteads, and gradually the towns of Falher, Donnelly, Guy, Girouxville, Tangent, Dréau, Marie-Reine, and St. Isidore were established.
The two largest centres of the area, Peace River and Grande Prairie, also attracted French Canadian entrepreneurs.
