Perspective: Cost of Immigration

With Dominion land being purchased quickly, often by land companies and speculators, the remaining "free" land was often of poor quality. Better land was offered by railway companies, but not without cost. In 1929, the CPR sold Anton Jakimovicz land near Gainford, Alberta. He bought 80 acres at $13/ acre ($131 in 1999 dollars), with $200 down ($2027 in 1999 dollars). The immigrant had arrived from Poland with a capital of only $550 ($5575 in 1999 dollars). 3

Considering the high cost and initial low returns on homesteads, land registries were frequently cancelled and farms often failed.

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