Which infrastructure project was promised to Prince Edward Island to join Confederation in 1873?

• A. PEI would gain full independence from Canada
• B. Canada would establish a separate PEI currency
• C. Canada would pay PEI debts and provide annual payments
• D. PEI would receive autonomy in defense

Answer: (C)

When Prince Edward Island agreed to join Confederation in 1873, the central appeal was a financial arrangement from Ottawa. Canada promised to assume the island’s provincial debt and provide ongoing annual payments to help run the province. This removed the burden of debt from PEI and offered predictable funding, making Confederation financially viable for the island. (There was also a broader infrastructure promise—the railway link to the mainland—but the decisive term that fits the correct choice is the debt assumption and annual subsidies.) The other options don’t reflect what was actually offered: independence wouldn’t come with Confederation; a separate PEI currency wasn’t promised; and autonomy in defense wasn’t the condition that secured PEI’s entry.