diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
index 03320fab415c..cb904b529c9e 100644
--- a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
@@ -5,4 +5,10 @@ The following functions and classes are deprecated:
 - ``cbook.GetRealpathAndStat`` (which is only a helper for
   ``get_realpath_and_stat``),
 - ``cbook.is_numlike`` (use ``isinstance(..., numbers.Number)`` instead),
+- ``FigureCanvasWx.frame`` and ``.tb`` (use ``.window`` and ``.toolbar``
+  respectively, which is consistent with other backends),
+- the ``FigureCanvasWx`` constructor should not be called with ``(parent, id,
+  figure)`` as arguments anymore, but just ``figure`` (like all other canvas
+  classes).  Call ``Reparent`` and ``SetId`` to set the parent and id of the
+  canvas.
 - ``mathtext.unichr_safe`` (use ``chr`` instead),
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index 81b0729b65d8..d3c1e7845d2b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -613,16 +613,29 @@ class _FigureCanvasWxBase(FigureCanvasBase, wx.Panel):
         wx.WXK_NUMPAD_DELETE: 'delete',
     }
 
-    def __init__(self, parent, id, figure):
+    def __init__(self, *args):
         """
-        Initialise a FigureWx instance.
+        Initialize a FigureWx instance.
 
-        - Initialise the FigureCanvasBase and wxPanel parents.
-        - Set event handlers for:
-          EVT_SIZE  (Resize event)
-          EVT_PAINT (Paint event)
+        Initialize the FigureCanvasBase and wxPanel parents and set event
+        handlers.
+
+        Note that the canvas parent is set to the top window
+        (``wx.App().GetTopWindow()``) and it is the responsibility of the
+        caller to ``Reparent`` the canvas.
         """
 
+        if len(args) == 3:
+            # Legacy signature.
+            cbook.warn_deprecated(
+                "3.0", "Passing a parent and id to the FigureCanvasWx "
+                "constructor is deprecated; use 'SetId' and 'Reparent' if "
+                "needed.")
+            parent, id, figure = args
+        else:
+            parent = wx.GetApp().GetTopWindow()
+            id = wx.ID_ANY
+            figure, = args
         FigureCanvasBase.__init__(self, figure)
         # Set preferred window size hint - helps the sizer (if one is
         # connected)
@@ -1227,7 +1240,9 @@ def _get_toolbar(self, statbar):
         return toolbar
 
     def get_canvas(self, fig):
-        return FigureCanvasWx(self, -1, fig)
+        canvas = FigureCanvasWx(fig)
+        canvas.Reparent(self)
+        return canvas
 
     def get_figure_manager(self):
         DEBUG_MSG("get_figure_manager()", 1, self)
@@ -1279,18 +1294,25 @@ class FigureManagerWx(FigureManagerBase):
     def __init__(self, canvas, num, frame):
         DEBUG_MSG("__init__()", 1, self)
         FigureManagerBase.__init__(self, canvas, num)
-        self.frame = frame
         self.window = frame
-
-        self.tb = frame.GetToolBar()
-        self.toolbar = self.tb  # consistent with other backends
+        self.toolbar = frame.GetToolBar()
 
         def notify_axes_change(fig):
             'this will be called whenever the current axes is changed'
-            if self.tb is not None:
-                self.tb.update()
+            if self.toolbar is not None:
+                self.toolbar.update()
         self.canvas.figure.add_axobserver(notify_axes_change)
 
+    @property
+    @cbook.deprecated("3.0")
+    def frame(self):
+        return self.window
+
+    @property
+    @cbook.deprecated("3.0")
+    def tb(self):
+        return self.toolbar
+
     def show(self):
         self.frame.Show()
         self.canvas.draw()
@@ -1477,7 +1499,8 @@ def __init__(self, targetfig):
         wx.Frame.__init__(self, None, -1, "Configure subplots")
 
         toolfig = Figure((6, 3))
-        canvas = FigureCanvasWx(self, -1, toolfig)
+        canvas = FigureCanvasWx(toolfig)
+        canvas.Reparent(self)
 
         # Create a figure manager to manage things
         figmgr = FigureManager(canvas, 1, self)
@@ -1493,7 +1516,7 @@ def __init__(self, targetfig):
 
 class NavigationToolbar2Wx(NavigationToolbar2, wx.ToolBar):
     def __init__(self, canvas):
-        wx.ToolBar.__init__(self, canvas.GetParent(), -1)
+        wx.ToolBar.__init__(self, canvas.GetParent())
         NavigationToolbar2.__init__(self, canvas)
         self.canvas = canvas
         self._idle = True
@@ -1506,7 +1529,9 @@ def __init__(self, canvas):
         self.retinaFix = 'wxMac' in wx.PlatformInfo
 
     def get_canvas(self, frame, fig):
-        return type(self.canvas)(frame, -1, fig)
+        canvas = type(self.canvas)(fig)
+        canvas.Reparent(frame)
+        return canvas
 
     def _init_toolbar(self):
         DEBUG_MSG("_init_toolbar", 1, self)
@@ -1537,7 +1562,7 @@ def pan(self, *args):
         NavigationToolbar2.pan(self, *args)
 
     def configure_subplots(self, evt):
-        frame = wx.Frame(None, -1, "Configure subplots")
+        frame = wx.Frame(None, title="Configure subplots")
 
         toolfig = Figure((6, 3))
         canvas = self.get_canvas(frame, toolfig)
@@ -1710,7 +1735,7 @@ class StatusBarWx(wx.StatusBar):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, parent):
-        wx.StatusBar.__init__(self, parent, -1)
+        wx.StatusBar.__init__(self, parent)
         self.SetFieldsCount(2)
         self.SetStatusText("None", 1)
         # self.SetStatusText("Measurement: None", 2)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
index 041f274a78b1..c167bf66c109 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 
 class FigureFrameWxAgg(FigureFrameWx):
     def get_canvas(self, fig):
-        return FigureCanvasWxAgg(self, -1, fig)
+        canvas = FigureCanvasWxAgg(fig)
+        canvas.Reparent(self)
+        return canvas
 
 
 class FigureCanvasWxAgg(FigureCanvasAgg, _FigureCanvasWxBase):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py
index fb3290f2bbc4..5686147426a8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py
@@ -4,17 +4,19 @@
 import six
 
 import wx
+import wx.lib.wxcairo as wxcairo
 
 from .backend_cairo import cairo, FigureCanvasCairo, RendererCairo
 from .backend_wx import (
     _BackendWx, _FigureCanvasWxBase, FigureFrameWx,
     NavigationToolbar2Wx as NavigationToolbar2WxCairo)
-import wx.lib.wxcairo as wxcairo
 
 
 class FigureFrameWxCairo(FigureFrameWx):
     def get_canvas(self, fig):
-        return FigureCanvasWxCairo(self, -1, fig)
+        canvas = FigureCanvasWxCairo(fig)
+        canvas.Reparent(self)
+        return canvas
 
 
 class FigureCanvasWxCairo(_FigureCanvasWxBase, FigureCanvasCairo):
@@ -27,12 +29,13 @@ class FigureCanvasWxCairo(_FigureCanvasWxBase, FigureCanvasCairo):
     we give a hint as to our preferred minimum size.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, parent, id, figure):
+    def __init__(self, *args):
         # _FigureCanvasWxBase should be fixed to have the same signature as
         # every other FigureCanvas and use cooperative inheritance, but in the
-        # meantime the following will make do.
-        _FigureCanvasWxBase.__init__(self, parent, id, figure)
-        FigureCanvasCairo.__init__(self, figure)
+        # meantime the following will make do.  (`args[-1]` is always the
+        # figure.)
+        _FigureCanvasWxBase.__init__(self, *args)
+        FigureCanvasCairo.__init__(self, args[-1])
         self._renderer = RendererCairo(self.figure.dpi)
 
     def draw(self, drawDC=None):