First World War Soldier Settlement Act

The 1917 Soldier Settlement Act aimed to ease the transition to civilian life by making Western homesteads available to all veterans following the end of the First World War. Instead of granting land in the southern boreal forest, as was the original plan, they sought better agricultural land in the form of reserve “surpluses” instead. Six reserves surrendered over 72,000 acres of land for this veteran resettlement. However, Aboriginal veterans were not eligible for this land under the Soldier Settlement Act. Aboriginal veterans were granted location tickets for land on reserves – which could be granted without band council approval -- instead of the 160 acres that were promised to other veterans, and the loans available to them to purchase farming supplies were much smaller.