The Lost Code

Speculation by Seigneurs and Businesses

After the British Conquest in 1760, seigneurs sought to increase the profits they could earn from their seigneuries. Working under the pretext the land they granted had increased in value due to scarcity, they demanded higher dues than those set out in concession contracts. They also speculated on lands yet to be granted, leasing them for excessive amounts or keeping them in hopes that they would go up in value. At the same time, logging companies monopolized large swathes of uncultivated land conceded to them by the British government, effectively making them inaccessible to rural residents.