Industrial Development1896 - 1929

Industrial Growth• This second phase of industrialization increased the pace

of industrialization that had started before the 1900’s.• This new industrialization did not occur equally

throughout the province• Based on exploitation of natural resources.

-to supply American markets-minerals and pulp and paper were produced for export.

• Much of Quebec’s growth due to hydroelectric power.-In 1898 Shawingan Water and Power Company formed.-Built generating plant and dam.-aluminum, pulp and paper and chemical plants built

around site to use cheap electricity.

Industrial Growth• By 1925, pulp and paper production was Canada’s

largest industry. -90% of Canada’s newsprint exported mainly to U.S. newspapers.

• Foreign investment was to build dams and large factories, develop transportation links.

• Capital came more from United States than Britain.-Americans preferred “branch plants”

-factories owned and controlled by an American company.

Industrial Growth•As automobile, electrical and chemical production increased so did Quebec’s mining industries

•1902 Alcan was founded; built town of Arvida•asbestos mines in Thetford Mines (70% exported to U.S.)•Towns of Rouyn-Noranda and Val d’Or created.

Impact of Industrialization•Industrial growth across Quebec had many consequences

1. Development of industries in regions created urban centers throughout the province. -most often cities dependent on a single industry

2. Increased social disparities-when most people were farmers, similar standards of living.-poor working-class districts in cities.

Impact of Industrialization

3. Increased urbanization of population

-rural areas continued to be overpopulated

-people leaving for the cities to find work

-between 1879-1929, Montreal grew from 250,000 to 1 million

-Montreal a financial center for Canada

-other cities grew as well (Sherbrooke, Quebec, Hull and Trois Rivieres)

-by 1929 urban population grew from 40% to 63%

Working Conditions•working conditions in factories were very poor.

•Most workers worked a 10-hour day and had only Saturday afternoons and Sundays off.

•Female and child labour was widespread and wages were poor.

•Women’s pay 50% of man’s for similar jobs.

•Women workers were concentrated in the textile and garment industries where conditions were particularly bad.

•Very few 14-15 year olds in school.-in 1916 only 560 pupils in Grade 8 in

all Catholic schools in Montreal even though children could not work in factories until 14.

-not strictly enforced; boys worked as helpers messengers/ while girls stayed home to care of younger children while mother worked.

Labour Unions•To protect themselves, workers began to organize.•especially true in one-company towns where a company controlled employment and life of the community•In 1900 few unions represented only skilled workers•Church opposed to unions because of violence, English-speaking and foreign.•Number of strikes and lockouts•Some violent; police and militia called out

– e.g.Valleyfield, Montreal and Quebec City•3 types of unions

– 1) international unions -At first dominated unions in Quebec-mostly American; e.g. American Federation of Labour- 2) national unions-unions of like workers across Canada-e.g. carpenters, bakers- 3) Catholic unions-run by local church; not very militant

Lachine Canal Strike

Living Conditions•Although the decades were prosperous for many

Canadians, living conditions (housing, water and sanitation) for working classes did not improve.

•Annual income extremely low due to:1) seasonal unemployment e.g. dock workers2) high proportion of low-paying jobs for unskilled and semi-skilled workers-usually filled by French-Canadians-better paying jobs, required skilled industrial workers, frequently filled by workers recruited from Britain.-clerical jobs usually required fluency in English-thus working class population of Montreal became stratified along ethnic lines, with French majority concentrated in lower income categories

Living Conditions• Housing conditions were very bad. • Outdoor toilets located in multiple familycourtyards • Houses were overcrowded • Consequences of inadequate income, long hours

of work, poor working conditions and inferior housing most evident in mortality and disease rates.

• Montreal was one of the most unhealthy cities in the western world

• City’s death rate among worst in North America• High correlation between poverty and disease;

death rates in working class double the rates in upper income areas of the city

• Infant mortality very high– 1 in 3 babies died in 1st year of life– In 1921 rate of infant deaths: upper class 6%

lower class 20%+; especially true in French areas

Living Conditions• In the first 3 decades of the 20th century (1900-1930)

workers in Montreal and the rest of Canada received little help from the government

• Labour treated as an economic commodity to be paid as little as possible.

• Governments believed that they should leave the economy and a person’s relationship to his employment alone.

• Only intervened in serious abuses.-e.g. child labour laws

Status of Women• Women received lower wages , had poorer job opportunities,

inferior schooling and few legal rights• Some women allowed to get enough education to become

teachers or nurses. – Low paying because nuns fulfilled both roles as well.

• Women were excluded from the professions

• Women’s suffrage movement and WWI led to them getting the vote in 1917.-women who had a soldier in their family got the vote-in 1918 all women given the right to vote in federal elections-in 1930 Quebec women had fewer rights than rest of Canada

Josephine Dandurand

fought for improved salaries for women teachers, for schools of home economics and for higher education for

women.

Sewing room, 1900