Saint Andrews Town Councillor Believes Naming Street After Van Horne Family Is Problematic

At a council meeting on Monday, December 5, 2022, Saint Andrews Town Council discussed accepting the new street name, Adeline Lane, for the Van Horne Garden Homes Subdivision at the corner of Bar Road and Mowat Drive. The name "Adeline" is meant to be a tribute to William Van Horne's daughter Adaline Van Horne who spent many years in St. Andrews and was fond of the town. Her legacy is already celebrated on Ministers Island along with the legacy of her father, Sir William Van Horne, who was also the figurative father of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The developer of the Van Horne Garden Homes, Charlie Bourgeois, suggested the name "Adaline" as a street name to pay homage to the Van Horne family and the rich history of St. Andrews.

Councillor Jamie Hirtle said, while he believes the intentions were good of the Van Horne Garden Homes' developer when suggesting the name, he also believes it is important to acknowledge the dark history of the Van Horne family and Canadian Pacific Railroad.

"To be the devil's advocate, there's a darker side to the legacy of the Canadian Pacific Railroad at the end of the 19th century when Sir William Van Horne was president that has to do with the expropriation of Indigenous lands and questionable treaties that, even to this day, continue to have a negative socio-economic impacts on Indigenous communities," said Hirtle.

Not only did Van Horne and CP build the railroad on unceded Indigenous land, they used Chinese labourers, many of whom lost their lives due to unsafe and unjust working conditions, to build the railway across Canada. 

"15,000 Chinese labourers were brought in to do the work, often in harsh conditions with little pay," said Hirtle. "Before we name anything new after the Van Horne family, I'd like to see some education on the history."

Council agreed to table the naming of the street so that further discussion can be had before a name is chosen.