Getting Started
Historic treaties refer to treaties negotiated between 1701-1923. For transcripts of the treaties listed below see Treaty Texts from the Government of Canada.
Map retrieved from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.
Treaties of Peace & Neutrality (1701-1760)
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Treaties of Peace and NeutralitySummary of the Treaties of Peace and Neutrality.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Treaty Texts: Treaties of Peace and NeutralityTranscripts of the Treaties of Peace and Neutrality.
Peace & Friendship Treaties (1725-1779)
Signed between the L'nu (Mi'gmaq, Micmac, Mi'kmaq), Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet, Malicite), and British.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Peace and Friendship TreatiesSummary of the Peace and Friendship Treaties.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Treaty Texts: Peace and Friendship TreatiesTranscripts of the Peace and Friendship Treaties.
Royal Proclamation of 1763
"[A] foundational document in the relationship between First Nations people and the Crown and laid the basis for Canada's territorial evolution" (From Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada).
"Most Indigenous and legal scholars recognize the Royal Proclamation as an important first step toward the recognition of existing Aboriginal rights and title, including the right to self-determination" (From Indigenous Foundations).
- Established the treaty making process, the limitations of westward colonial settlement, Canada's Indian Department (created in 1755 and served as the main point of contact between Canada and First Nations), and peaceful relations [see Upper Canada Land Surrenders].
- Digitized copy of the original document.
The Robinson-Superior and Robinson-Huron Treaties (concluded 1850)
Consists of nine agreements between Hudson's Bay Company and the Songhees, Klallam, and T'souke.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Robinson Treaties and Douglas TreatiesSummary of the Robinson Treaties and Douglas Treaties.
Douglas Treaties (1850-1854)
Also known as the Vancouver Island Treaties and the Victoria Treaties.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Douglas TreatiesSummary of the Douglas Treaties.
Numbered Treaties (1871-1921)
There are 11 treaties that were negotiated between 1871 and 1921, referred to as the Numbered Treaties.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Treaty Research ReportsIncludes in-depth information on all 11 Numbered Treaties.
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Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba - Treaties in ManitobaProvides information on Numbered Treaties relevant to Manitoba First Nations, including Treaties No. 1-6, and Treaty No. 10.
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James Bay Treaty (Treaty No. 9)A digitized copy of the original document is available on this page.
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James Bay Treaty Online ExhibitCreated in August 2020, this exhibit from the Ontario Archives explores different interpretations of the James Bay Treaty, the background behind the treaty’s creation and its impact on Indigenous communities, and the role that archival records and other forms of memory have come to play in the story of Treaty No. 9.
Upper Canada Land Surrenders (1781-1862) & Williams Treaties (1923)
Fifteen land surrenders took place from 1783 to 1812 in Southern and Central Ontario.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Upper Canada Land Surrenders and the Williams TreatiesSummary of the Upper Canada Land Surrenders and the Williams Treaties.
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Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada - Treaty Research Report, The Williams Treaties (1923)Research report on the Williams Treaties.
Other Treaties
Treaty of Paris (1763)
- The Treaty of Paris was signed by the colonial powers of France, Britain, and Spain. France ceded colonial territories in North America to Britain, creating the basis for the modern nation state of Canada.
- The Canadian Encyclopedia provides a summary of the Treaty of Paris.
Peguis-Selkirk Treaty (1817)
- The Peguis-Selkirk Treaty was signed by five chiefs and Lord Selkirk in the area that is now known as the Red River Valley of Manitoba.
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The website Peguis-Selkirk 200 Years commemorates the anniversary of the treaty-signing and provides information related to the treaty.