In 1856, the first balloon flight in Canada occurred in Montreal, with American aeronaut Eugene Godard demonstrating balloon technology before Canadian audiences. This introduction of aeronautics to Canada occurred during a period of growing Canadian identity within the British Empire and generated significant public interest in major Canadian cities.

Canadian poets incorporating balloon imagery into their works connected aerial flight with the vast Canadian landscape and emerging national consciousness. The technology appeared in Canadian literature as a symbol of progress and connection, inspiring verses that explored the relationship between technological achievement and the challenging Canadian environment, particularly in winter conditions.