John Young (March 11, 1811 – April 12, 1878) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman, public official, and politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and was later elected to the House of Commons of Canada representing Montreal West. He is best remembered for his role in developing the Port of Montreal and his advocacy for free trade.
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Early life
Young was born in Ayr, Scotland, to William Young, a cooper. He attended Ayr Academy until the age of 14, after which he taught briefly in Coylton before immigrating to Lower Canada in 1826.
He began his business career in Kingston, Ontario, working for an import-export firm. In 1830, he moved to Montreal to work for the Torrance family firm, eventually becoming a partner with David Torrance. The firm's interests in St. Lawrence River shipping influenced Young's lifelong advocacy for improved transportation infrastructure. By 1850, he had achieved significant commercial success and constructed "Rosemount," a large estate on the southern slope of Westmount Mountain.