In Manitoba, counties were originally only organized for judicial purposes. Between 1875 and 1890, they also existed for municipal purposes.
In 1875, provision was made for a majority of the electors in a judicial county to petition to have it organized for municipal purposes.[1] By 1881, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba passed legislation to redivide the entire Province into municipal counties,[2] as a consequence of its enlargement.[3]
They existed only until 1890,[4] though the term itself lived on with respect to the County Courts and land registration districts.[5]
The Municipal Act, 1886[6] listed the counties of Manitoba as follows:
Number | County | United County | Rural Municipalities | Cities/Towns |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lisgar | Lisgar, Plessis, and Gimli | St. Andrews', St. Clements' | East Selkirk, Selkirk |
2 | Gimli | Lisgar, Plessis, and Gimli | Gimli, Rockwood | |
3 | Plessis | Lisgar, Plessis, and Gimli | Plessis | |
5 | Manchester | Douglas, Franklin, Montcalm | Emerson, West Lynne | |
6 | Carillon | La Broquerie, Hanover, De Salaberry | ||
7 | Morris | Morris, Youville | Morris | |
8 | La Verandrye | Hespeler, Ste. Anne, Taché | ||
9 | D'Iberville | Cartier, Macdonald, St. Norbert | ||
10 | Selkirk | Assiniboia, Kildonan, Springfield, St. Boniface, St. Paul, Varennes | St. Boniface, Winnipeg | |
11 | Marquette | Marquette and Fairford | Belcourt, St. François Xavier, Woodlands | |
12 | Fairford | Marquette and Fairford | Fairford, Posen, St. Laurent | |
13 | Dufferin | Carleton, Dufferin, Rhineland | Nelson | |
14 | Portage la Prairie | Elm River, Portage la Prairie | Portage la Prairie | |
15 | Norfolk | North Cypress, North Norfolk, South Cypress, South Norfolk | ||
16 | Rock Lake | Argyle, Derby, Lorne, Louise | Pilot Mound | |
17 | Westbourne | Westbourne | Gladstone | |
18 | Beautiful Plains | Glendale, Osprey, Lansdowne, Rosedale | ||
19 | Riding Mountain | Minnedosa and Riding Mountain | Riding Mountain | |
20 | Minnedosa | Minnedosa and Riding Mountain | Blanchard [sic],[7] Clanwilliam, Harrison, Odanah, Saskatchewan, Strathclair | Minnedosa, Rapid City |
21 | Brandon | Cornwallis, Daly, Elton, Glenwood, Oakland, Whitehead | Brandon | |
22 | Turtle Mountain | Deloraine, Riverside, Turtle Mountain, Whitewater | ||
23 | Souris River | Arthur, Brenda, Inchiquin, Medora | ||
24 | Dennis | Sifton, Pipestone, Wallace, Woodworth | ||
25 | Shoal Lake | Shoal Lake and Russell | Archie, Birtle, Boulton, Ellice, Miniota, Oak River, Shoal Lake | |
26 | Russell | Shoal Lake and Russell | Rossburn, Russell, Shell River, Silver Creek |
County No. 4 (Varennes), created in 1881, occupied that part of Manitoba around Rat Portage,[8] in an area disputed with Ontario. It was abolished subsequent to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council's decision in 1884 to award the territory to Ontario,[9] later confirmed by the Canada (Ontario Boundary) Act 1889.[10]