Palliser's Triangle, or the Palliser Triangle, is a semiarid geographic area in western Canada that was determined to be unsuitable for agriculture because of its unfavorable climate and soil. The triangular-shaped area is located mostly in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.
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History
The area was named after John Palliser who led the survey expedition to Canada's west that first remarked on this area. Palliser discovered it was a dry land with no trees, which he thought would be unsuitable for growing crops. A few years later John Macoun, a government official, argued that it would be good for growing wheat and advertised it as such to immigrant farmers. The triangle began to be settled and farmed at the start of the 20th century.
Ranching
For a number of years this area was very attractive to ranching. The sandy soil, grassy land cover, and dry weather supported cattle grazing. Many U.S. ranchers would bring herds north to graze in the triangle. By 1912, however, much of the land was overgrazed.
Grain production
For a time yields were high but a combination of the dry conditions and poor agricultural practices saw the area turn into a Dust Bowl in the 1930s, helping plunge Canada into the Great Depression. Eventually new farming techniques and a series of rainy years helped to reestablish the area as an important farming region. However, farming has always been precarious and to this day the area's farmers often need large government subsidies to deal with drought conditions.
