List of former counties of Manitoba

In Manitoba, counties were originally only organized for judicial purposes. Between 1875 and 1890, they also existed for municipal purposes.

## History

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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]

## Organization

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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]

* Manitoba expansion, as enacted in 1881

* areas withdrawn in 1889

* summary of territorial claims and boundary changes (1870-1912)

## Further reading

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* Schofield, Frank Howard (1913). "XLI - The Extension of the Boundaries". The Story of Manitoba. Vol. I. Winnipeg: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. pp. 341–350.

## References

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1. ^ An Act respecting County Municipalities, S.M. 1875, c. 41
2. ^ An Act to divide the Province of Manitoba into counties, S.M. 1881, c. 14
3. ^ An Act to provide for the extension of the boundaries of the Province of Manitoba, S.C. 1881, c. 14
4. ^ An Act respecting the Boundaries of Municipalities in the Province of Manitoba, S.M. 1890, c. 55
5. ^ S.M. 1890, c. 55, s. 87
6. ^ The Manitoba Municipal Act, 1886, S.M. 1886, c. 52, s. 4
7. ^ S.M. 1886, c. 52, s. 28
8. ^ Schofield 1913, p. 348.
9. ^ "Order of Her Majesty in Council on the Reference as to Boundaries". August 11, 1884.
10. ^ Canada (Ontario Boundary) Act 1889 - via Wikisource.