See also: 1850 in Canada, other events of 1851, 1852 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

Events

• April 7 - The first Canadian postage stamps are printed
• April 25 - Prince Edward Island wins responsible government
• June - Harbor Commissioners deepen Lake St. Peter.
• July - The bloomer costume appears in Montreal.
• August 30 - The Vancouver Island legislature meets for the first time
• October 11 - The St. L. & A. Railway is opened to Richmond.
• Gabriel Franchere's Narrative of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast of America published in Montreal.
• The United Kingdom transfers control of the colonial postal system to Canada.

Births

• April 7 - John Bengough, political cartoonist
• April 8 - Frederick Peters, Premier of PEI
• May 22 - Gilbert White Ganong, businessman
• July 8 - James Dunsmuir, Premier of British Columbia
• August 26 - H. James Palmer, Premier of PEI
• September 5 - George Frederick Baird, politician
• November - Levi Addison Ault, businessman and naturalist
• November 25 - Francis Shepherd, surgeon
• November 28 - Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey, Governor General
• December 10 - James Albert Manning Aikins, Manitoba politician

Deaths