Why did Prince Edward Island join the Canadian Confederation in 1873?

Prince Edward Island joined the Canadian Confederation in 1873 primarily because it was forced to do so by severe financial troubles.1

Although the island hosted the Charlottetown Conference in 1864—earning it the nickname "Cradle of Confederation"—it did not initially join the union. By 1873, however, the province's economic situation necessitated a change. To facilitate the transition, provincial politicians negotiated several key concessions from the federal government, including:

• Financial support to purchase lands held by foreign proprietors and resell them to resident farmers.1
• The assumption of the island's railway debt by the federal government.1
• Guarantees for continuous communication with the mainland.1

These agreements helped stabilize the province's economy, allowing it to become the seventh province of Canada.12