Canada was a British colony in North America.
British colonization of the Americas . In this way , two countries in North America , ten in the Caribbean , and one in South America have received their independence from the United Kingdom . Canada ( [ ˈkænədə ] [ kanadɑ ] ) is a country in the northern part of North America . Beginning in the 16th century , British and French claims were made on the area , with the colony of Canada first being established by the French in 1535 during Jacques Cartier 's second voyage to New France . As a consequence of various conflicts , Great Britain gained and lost territories within British North America until it was left , in the late 18th century , with what mostly geographically comprises Canada today . Provinces and territories of Canada . When Canada was formed in 1867 , three provinces of British North America -- New Brunswick , Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada ( which , on the formation of Canada , was divided into Ontario and Quebec ) -- were united to form a federated colony , which eventually became a sovereign nation in the next century .