In 1840 the Act of Union created the Province of Canada in the St. Lawrence Valley, Great Lakes region, replacing the former jurisdictions of Upper and Lower Canada. It was in Canada West, now Ontario, that the oil industry began at Oil Springs, a spot about 80 kilometres west of London and 25 kilometres south of Lake Huron. The American discovery of oil took place about 320 kilometres to the southeast, near Titusville, Pennsylvania.
The railroad penetrated the oil producing area of Ontario in 1855 when the Great Western Railroad, shown here, opened for business. A spur line was opened to Petrolia in 1866.
