Provinces, Territories, and Capitals

Exam-focused notes covering Canada's provinces, territories, and capital cities.

10 Provinces

Canada has 10 provinces, each with its own provincial capital.

3 Territories

Canada has 3 territories, each with its own territorial capital.

Political Map

Knowing the provinces, territories, and capitals gives you a basic understanding of Canada's political geography.

Regional Groups

Grouping provinces and territories by region makes the capitals easier to remember.

1. Provinces & Capitals

Province Capital
Ontario Toronto
Quebec Quebec City
Nova Scotia Halifax
New Brunswick Fredericton
Manitoba Winnipeg
British Columbia Victoria
Prince Edward Island Charlottetown
Saskatchewan Regina
Alberta Edmonton
Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's
Remember: Canada has 10 provinces.

2. Territories & Capitals

Territory Capital
Yukon Whitehorse
Northwest Territories Yellowknife
Nunavut Iqaluit
Remember: Canada has 3 territories.

3. Atlantic Canada

Start with the Atlantic provinces when studying the map. There are four provinces in Atlantic Canada.

Nova Scotia

Capital: Halifax

New Brunswick

Capital: Fredericton

Prince Edward Island

Capital: Charlottetown

Newfoundland and Labrador

Capital: St. John's
Atlantic group: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador.

4. Central Canada

Ontario

Capital: Toronto

Quebec

Capital: Quebec City
Central Canada: Ontario and Quebec.

5. The Prairies

Manitoba

Capital: Winnipeg

Saskatchewan

Capital: Regina

Alberta

Capital: Edmonton
Prairie group: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta.

6. West & North

British Columbia

Capital: Victoria

Yukon

Capital: Whitehorse

Northwest Territories

Capital: Yellowknife

Nunavut

Capital: Iqaluit
West & North: British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut.

7. Easy Way to Remember the Capitals

The easiest way to study Canada's map is to work region by region instead of trying to memorize every province and territory at once.

Region Provinces / Territories
Atlantic Canada Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
Central Canada Ontario, Quebec
The Prairies Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta
West and North British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut
Study method: Atlantic → Central → Prairies → West & North.

8. Why This Matters for the Test

Questions about provinces and capitals are often straightforward, but they can be easy to miss if you have not practiced. Knowing the capitals shows that you understand how Canada is organized geographically and politically.

  • Know all 10 provinces and their capitals.
  • Know all 3 territories and their capitals.
  • Practice the provinces and territories by region.
  • Be able to quickly match each province or territory with its capital.
Exam tip: Don't just read the list. Practice recalling the capital when you see the province or territory name.

Quick Memorization Sheet

Ontario: Toronto
Quebec: Quebec City
Nova Scotia: Halifax
New Brunswick: Fredericton
Manitoba: Winnipeg
British Columbia: Victoria
Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown
Saskatchewan: Regina
Alberta: Edmonton
Newfoundland and Labrador: St. John's
Yukon: Whitehorse
Northwest Territories: Yellowknife
Nunavut: Iqaluit
Total: 10 provinces + 3 territories.