See also: 1907 in Canada, other events of 1908, 1909 in Canada and the Timeline of Canadian history.

Incumbents

• Prime Minister - Sir Wilfrid Laurier
• Governor General - Earl Grey

• Premier of Alberta - Alexander Rutherford
• Premier of British Columbia - Richard McBride
• Premier of Manitoba - R.P. Roblin
• Premier of New Brunswick - Clifford Robinson then John Hazen
• Premier of Nova Scotia - George H. Murray
• Premier of Ontario - Sir James Whitney
• Premier of Prince Edward Island - Arthur Peters then F. L. Haszard
• Premier of Quebec - Lomer Gouin
• Premier of Saskatchewan - Thomas Walter Scott

Events

• January 2 - The Royal Canadian Mint opens
• February 1 - F. L. Haszard becomes premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing Arthur Peters
• March 7 - The University of British Columbia is founded
• March 24 - Sir John Hazen becomes premier of New Brunswick, replacing Clifford Robinson
• June 8 - Ontario election: Sir James Whitney's Conservatives win a second consecutive majority
• August 2 - A fire in the Kootenay region kills 70
• August 14 - Saskatchewan election: Walter Scott's Liberals win a second consecutive majority
• September 23 - The University of Alberta opens
• October 26 - Federal election: Sir Wilfrid Laurier's Liberals win a fourth consecutive majority
• The Opium and Narcotics Act is passed banning certain drugs in Canada
• The Grain Growers Guide is first published
• News media: Vancouver Courier first published.

Arts and literature

• Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables is published

Births

• January 22 - Sinclair Ross, author
• February 1 - Louis Rasminsky, Governor of the Bank of Canada
• February 7 - Lela Brooks , speed skater
• February 10 - Jean Coulthard , composer
• February 11 - Annette av Paul , ballet dancer
• February 15 - Sarto Fournier, Mayor of Montreal
• March 24 - Carl Klinck , scholar
• April 7 - Percy Faith, conductor
• May 19 - Percy Williams, athlete
• June 18 - Stanley Knowles, politician
• July 6 - Jeanne Manery , biochemist
• July 11 - Yves Prévost, Quebec politician
• August 11 - William Ricker , biologist
• September 20 - Ernest C. Manning, politician
• October 24 - John Tuzo Wilson, geologist
• December 6 - Nicholas Goldschmidt, conductor
• December 13 - W.L. Morton, historian
• December 23 - Yousuf Karsh, photographer

Deaths