-
On 14 May 1914, people discovered the first natural gas and oil field in Alberta. It has been a major and valuable gas plant in Canada, being a sparkling light in the economy during and after the Great Depression.
-
WWI began and Canada automatically joined the war. Lots of men resigned from their jobs and joined the army. Due to the huge cost, Canada sold government bonds and loans from November 1915. In total, the loans raised to $2377 million, having a huge impact on the living conditions of Canadians.
-
It was established to produce war machinery in 1915 by Britain. Women were hired for the first time, and many factories followed. It was a model of the war economy, leading factories to the right track on war supplies and commodities production.
-
WWI put Canada’s economy into a drain. Besides the loans and food control, the government introduced the income war tax. It was the first time for Canadians to pay taxes based on their annual income. After the war, income tax has become a regular payment and continues today.
-
On 19 August 1917, the act was passed into law, controlling food and fuel in the country and ensuring the supplies at warfront. Due to scarcity, the prices of commodities rose. However, most families couldn’t follow the rising price of goods, and the starvation rate increased.
-
From May to June in 1919, more than 30,000 workers left their jobs and joined the strike to block the streets and shut down services in Manitoba, due to the poor living and working conditions. Overall, it was the largest strike in Canadian history.
-
It was incorporated on 6 June 1919, being the longest railway system in North America. Furthermore, it played an important role in industrialization and in the economy, as it connected the markets and created the demand for fuel, iron, steel, etc.
-
After the war, timber branch plants from the US were built in Ontario in 1920 and provided lots of jobs. Then, many others were built across the countries which helped Canada’s economy significantly. Those branch plants broadened source industries, dropped unemployment, and advanced the technologies during the 1920s.
-
It was enacted by the federal parliament in 1927, to avoid poverty in retirement. It was the first time for Canadians to help retired citizens financially, which shows a stable economy. Furthermore, the plan continues now.
-
The Great Depression followed the American Stock Market Crash, which ravaged the Canadian economy during the 1930s. Life was especially harsh in the Prairies, where drought worsens conditions. Historians and economists claim that it blighted the industrial world during the 1930s.
