From the formation of the provinces in 1791 down to the year 1841, the Lieutenant Governors and Administrators in Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) were appointed by the Crown in England and held ultimate power in the province. They were advised by the appointed Executive Council. The counties returned elected legislatures which held little actual power separate from the executive authority.

In Upper Canada, the Administrators (Admin) were permanent residents of the province and served during the absence of a Lieutenant Governor (Lt Gov).

Lieutenant Governors and

Administrators of Upper Canada

Lt Gov 12 Sep 1791 - 10 Apr 1799 Col. John Graves Simcoe

Admin 20 Jul 1796 - 17 Aug 1799 Peter Russell

Lt Gov 10 Apr 1799 - 21 Aug 1805 Lt. Gen. Peter Hunter

Admin 11 Sep 1805 - 25 Aug 1806 Alexander Grant

Lt Gov 25 Aug 1806 - 09 Oct 1811 Francis Gore

Admin 09 Oct 1811 - 13 Oct 1812 Maj. Gen. Isaac Brock

Admin 20 Oct 1812 - 19 Jun 1813 Maj. Gen. Roger Hale Sheaffe

Admin 19 Jun 1813 - 13 Dec 1813 Maj. Gen. Francis, Baron de Rottenbury

Admin 13 Dec 1813 - 15 Apr 1815 Lt. Gen. Sir Gordon Drummond

Lt Gov 25 Apr 1815 - 01 Jul 1815 Lt. Gen. Sir George Murrow

Lt Gov 01 Jul 1815 - 21 Sep 1815 Maj. Gen. Sir Francis F. P. Robinson

Lt Gov 21 Sep 1815 - 06 Jan 1818 Francis Gore

Admin 11 Jun 1817 - 13 Aug 1818 Lt. Col. Samuel Smith

Lt Gov 13 Aug 1818 - 23 Aug 1828 Maj. Gen. Sir Peregrine Maitland

Lt Gov 04 Nov 1828 - 30 Nov 1835 Maj. Gen. Sir John Colborne

Lt Gov 25 Jan 1836 - 23 Mar 1838 Sir Francis Bond Head

Lt Gov 23 Mar 1838 - 09 Feb 1841 Maj. Gen. Sir George Arthur

Lieutenant Governors and

Administrators of Lower Canada

Admin 25 Aug 1791 - 24 Sep 1793 Alured Clarke

Lt Gov 12 Sep 1791 - 21 Jan 1796 Alured Clarke

Lt Gov 21 Jun 1796 - 15 Dec 1796 Gen. Robert Prescott

Admin 12 Jul 1796 - 27 Apr 1797 Gen. Robert Prescott

Lt Gov 04 Nov 1797 - 29 Nov 1808 R. S. Milnes

Admin 12 Aug 1804 - 24 Oct 1807 Thomas Dunn

Lt Gov 29 Nov 1808 - 27 Jan 1812 Francis N. Burton

Admin 19 Jun 1811 - 14 Sep 1811 Thomas Dunn

Admin 09 Apr 1812 - Maj. Gen. Isaac Brock

Admin 20 Feb 1813 - 30 Nov 1814 Baron F. De Rothenbury

Admin 04 Apr 1815 - 21 May 1816 Lt. Gen. Sir Gordon Drummond

Admin 21 May 1816 - 15 Jul 1816 Maj. Gen. John Wilson

Admin 20 Sep 1819 - 17 Mar 1820 James Monk

Admin Lord Dalhousie

Admin 17 Mar 1820 - 19 Jun 1820 Sir Peregrine Maitland

Admin 07 Jun 1824 - 16 Sep 1828 Sir Francis N Burton

Admin 08 Sep 1828 - 20 Oct 1830 Sir James Kempt

Admin 20 Oct 1830 - 04 Feb 1831 Lord Aylmer

Admin 27 Feb 1838 - 17 Jan 1839 Sir John Colborne

Admin 18 Nov 1839 - 31 Jul 1840 Sir Richard D. Jackson