British American Land Company
Arms of the British American Land Company | |
| Company type | Chartered company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Land development |
| Founded | 1832 (by royal charter) |
| Founder | John Galt, Edward Ellice |
| Defunct | 1948 |
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Headquarters | Sherbrooke, Quebec |
Area served | Lower Canada |
| Services | Land, roads, mills |
| Total equity | 1,094,272 acres (4,428.36 km2) of land |
The British American Land Company (BALC) was a company formed in 1832 for the purpose of purchasing land and encouraging British immigration to Lower Canada. It was founded and promoted by John Galt, Edward Ellice and others to acquire and manage the development of almost 1,100,000 acres (1,719 sq mi; 4,452 km2) of Crown land and other lands in the Eastern Townships of Lower Canada, in order to encourage the immigration of British subjects to the region.
In comparison to the Canada Company, a similar enterprise in Upper Canada that thrived through collaboration with the local government, the BALC indulged in land speculation, made immigration a secondary priority, and struggled throughout its existence.