The 1850’s was an era of change in Canada, for at this time, there was a growing density of population in the area. A census taken in 1851-1856 indicated that the population of the union had increased by approximately 692,000 in its first decade. This figure was nearing the two million mark as birth rates continued to rise. Infant mortality was also at a high, especially in the East. On the other hand, the growth of the West was due mainly to immigration in the chief settlement frontiers because most immigrants from Britain regularly went to the Upper Canadas. By then, 40% of Upper Canadians were British born.
In the year 1858, a marvelous discovery was made. The prospect of gold in Victoria, British Columbia attracted over gold miners from all over. These foreigners flocked to the West immediately, causing the area to become a booming center of economic and social activity. As the great wave of immigrants flooded in, Victoria was making a mark on the map. That very year, gold was also located in the Fraser River, on the Canadian side of the Oregon border. American miners immigrated to this part of the land, causing the coastal region to grow at an inceasing rate. Soon, the area was taken under British rule and named the colony of ‘British Columbia’. As well, the population expanded to over 10,000 in the Caribou interior as miners continuously moved up to search for the source of gold.
After the ‘Great Migration’, which lasted until 1850, many different ethnic groups arrived in the Canadas. Most of these immigrants were from the British Isles and spoke Irish, Scottish and English languages as well as others. As well as diverse lanuages, there were many new religions that came to the area. These included the Roman Catholic religion from the Scottish and Irish people, plus the Methodist and Presbyterian beliefs.