History of the trade of the fur in Quebec

During approximately 200 years, the Fourrure was the most important resource of the News-France and then of the province of Quebec. But, with the turning of the years 1800, the conditions changed. The trade of the furs entered a certain decline. The demand being less strong for Europe, the prices fell on the market. During this time, here, one was to go to seek the fur more and more far, which increased the costs of transport. Moreover, the company of the Hudson Bay and the company of the North-West delivered a fierce competition during these years.

In 1821, the company of Hudson Bay absorbed the company of the North-West. Henceforth, the fur left especially by Hudson Bay with the result that Montreal, a long time the center par excellence of this activity, was about isolated of this trade. The fur became more and more a marginal activity far behind wood and corn.

Beginning of the trade of the furs

After the voyages of Jacques Cartier, between 1534 and 1542, France ignores the Canada. That does not prevent the fishermen, especially Basque S and Breton S, to continue to come to fish the Morue in the area of Newfoundland. The fish is a food product very requires some in this very catholic Europe which fasts approximately a third of the year, that is to say during the Lent, the time of the Avent and the festival day before many of obligation. The Poisson thus has a choice place in the menu of Europeans at that time.

The fishermen have two techniques of conservation for cod. They could salt it at the bottom of the hold or in barrels and be turned over some as quickly as possible to France. One calls “green cod”, the preserved cod in this way. But since salt is rather expensive, one often made dry cod on the coasts before installing for Europe. Like this process asks a certain time, the cod-fishing boats, installed in seasonal campings, have the leisure to meet Amerindian S and to exchange with them. There is a product which interests Autochtones particularly, the Fer. He covet all the metal articles of Europeans. In exchange, they offer Fourrure S and particularly that of the beaver whose hair is very snuffed for the manufacture of the felt for the hats. The fur thus gets an important auxiliary income for the fishermen. This trade becomes extensive so much that at the end of 16th and the beginning of the XVIIe century, companies of trade of the furs will be formed. That revived the interest for Canada.

But the trade of the furs implies a permanent installation to be most effective possible. There will be thus first attempts at permanent establishments in Acadie then in the valley of the the St. Lawrence. It is thus right to say that they are the fishermen who revealed this richness in Europe and which it is this richness which was the cause of the beginning the permanent establishment of the French in the valley of the St. Lawrence and in Acadie. The fur will remain the most important Ressource of Canada during 200 years.

See too

Internal bonds

Voyageur (fur)
Coureur of wood
Treats furs
the Country of the furs Roman of Jules Verne, 1872.

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