1953 in Canada

See also: 1952 in Canada, other events of 1953, 1954 in Canada and the Timeline of Canadian history.

Incumbents

• Prime Minister – Louis Saint Laurent
• Governor General – Vincent Massey

• Premier of Alberta – Ernest Manning
• Premier of British Columbia – W.A.C. Bennett
• Premier of Manitoba – Douglas Campbell
• Premier of New Brunswick – Hugh John Flemming
• Premier of Newfoundland – Joey Smallwood
• Premier of Nova Scotia – Angus Macdonald
• Premier of Ontario – Leslie Frost
• Premier of Prince Edward Island – J. Walter Jones then Alex Matheson
• Premier of Quebec – Maurice Duplessis
• Premier of Saskatchewan – Tommy Douglas

Events

• January 1 – The National Library of Canada is founded
• January 27 – The Canadian Dental Association approves the use of fluoride in drinking water
• May 25 – Alex Matheson becomes premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing J. Walter Jones
• June 2 – Queen Elizabeth II is crowned Queen of Canada. In Korea the Canadian Army celebrates the coronation of Elizabeth II by firing red, white and blue smoke shells at the enemy
• July 13 – The first Stratford Festival opens
• July 27 – The Korean War ends. In total 314 Canadians were killed and 1211 injured.
• August 10 – Federal election: Louis Saint Laurent's Liberals win a fifth consecutive majority
• October 15 – The Trans Mountain Oil Pipeline is completed
• October 25 – Canada's first privately-owned television station, CKSO, broadcasts in Sudbury.

Arts and Literature

Literary Awards

• See 1953 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
• Stephen Leacock Award: Lawrence Earl, The Battle Of Baltinglass

Births

• February 5 – Eric Robinson, Manitoba politician
• February 15 – Gerald Keddy, politician
• February 15 – David Chomiak, Manitoba politician
• February 16 – Lanny McDonald, hockey player
• April 13 – Dany Laferrière, author
• May 14  – Tom Cochrane, singer/songwriter
• June 23 – Raymonde April, photographer
• June 23 – Albina Guarnieri, politician
• July 3 – Dave Lewis, hockey player and coach
• July 9 – Margie Gillis, dancer
• July 15 – Mila Mulroney, wife of Brian Mulroney
• July 15 – Richard Margison, tenor
• July 29 – Geddy Lee, musician (Rush)
• August 17 – Robert Thirsk, astronaut
• August 27 – Alex Lifeson, musician
• September 30 – S. M. Stirling, author
• October 29 – Denis Potvin, hockey player
• December 13 – Bob Gainey, hockey player anc coach
• December 18 – Daniel Poliquin, writer
• Dionne Brand, poet
• Barbara Haworth-Attard, author
• Nancy Huston, author
• Paul Quarrington, author
• Gaëtan Dugas, early AIDS patient

Deaths

• November 29 – Sam De Grasse, actor