See also:
1971 in Canada,
other events of 1972,
1973 in Canada and the
Timeline of Canadian history.
Incumbents
Events
- January 1 - Winnipeg is merged into a megacity
- January 1 - Canada's ban on cigarette advertisements on film, radio, and television, goes into effect
- January 1 - Canada's Capital Gains Tax comes into effect
- January 18 - Frank Moores becomes premier of Newfoundland, replacing Joey Smallwood, who had governed for 23 years
- February 25 - The Pickering Nuclear Power Plant opens
- April 15 - Canada and the United States sign the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
- May 31 - The "member" level of the Order of Canada is created
- June 16 - The Churchill Falls hydro-electric facility opens
- July 14 - Donald Macdonald of the Canadian Labour Congress becomes the first non-European head of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
- July 21 - Global Television begins broadcasting into Ontario
- August 30 - Frank Calder becomes the first Native Cabinet minister in Canadian history when he is appointed to the Cabinet of British Columbia
- September 1 - An arson attack on the Blue Bird Bar in Montreal kills 37
- September 12 - Heritage Canada is established
- September 15 - David Barrett becomes premier of British Columbia, replacing W.A.C. Bennett, who had governed for 20 years
- September 27 - The sale of fire crackers is banned in Canada
- September 28 - "... right in front, they score, Henderson has scored for Canada ..."--Foster Hewitt are the words as Canada wins the 1972 Summit Series
- October 30 - Federal election: Pierre Trudeau's Liberals win a minority
- November 9 - Anik I, the world's first non-military communications satellite is launched.
- Government pensions are indexed to cost of living
- The Art Bank is established
- The World Hockey Association begins operations
- CityTV founded in Toronto
Arts and Literature
- New Works
- Awards
Births
- January 1 - Shaun Majumder, actor
- January 3 - Drake Berehowsky, hockey player
- February 12 - Owen Nolan, hockey player
- March 17 - Melissa Auf der Maur, musician
- March 22 - Elvis Stojko, figure skater
- May 5 - Devin Townsend, musician
- May 5 - Brad Bombardir, hockey player
- May 6 - Martin Brodeur, hockey goaltender
- May 16 - Martin Brodeur, hockey player
- May 30 - Lisa Michelle Merrithew, public relations consultant
- June 17 - Steven Fletcher, politician
- June 26 - Garou, singer
- July 4 - Mike Knuble, hockey player
- August 1 - Tanya Reid, actor
- August 29 - Amanda Marshall, singer
- September 27 - Clara Hughes, cyclist
- October 17 - Cameron Baerg, Olympic rower
- November 26 - Chris Osgood, hockey goaltender
Deaths
