Map of Western Canada Showing Location of Lands for Sale in the Last Mountain Valley

The Canadian Bank of Commerce fueling Canada’s westward expansion in the early 20th century.

This incredibly detailed map covers four southwestern provinces in Canada collectively defined as ‘The Canadian West’ – Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. Only portions of the first three are shown as outlined and surveyed, with B.C. apparently entirely absent of parceled and subdivided lands. Indian Reservations (I.R.), settlements, and geographic features are labeled throughout. Railroads, the catalyst for settlement and development of the region, are shown in both completed and proposed (segmented) lines, with the ambitious Grand Trunk Pacific Railway stretching nearly 1,000 miles between Edmonton and Prince Rupert on the coast.

Topographic information is notably absent from the image, with the exception of elevation data for mountain peaks and passes. This is perhaps to preserve the map’s legibility by avoiding unnecessary contours or hatching. Or, less sincerely, to avoid ‘spooking’ any potential emigrants by accurately depicting the rugged terrain.

The map was issued by the Canadian Bank of Commerce, today’s CIBC, in 1907. The locations of bank branches throughout each of the four provinces are noted with bright red stars. These were important sources of capital and other financial services, especially in rural areas. Printed by the Toronto Lithograph Company, Ltd.