Thesis
Canada's industrial growth in the 19th century experienced exponential growth owing to its diffusion with the rapidly industrializing nations; the United States and Britain, and was led by the extractive industries whose growth resulted in the emergence of other support industries creating an industrialization boom for the nation.
Major factors
-The steam age (1840-1880) and Canadian Pacific railways. The steam age convinced the elites and the politicians the possibility of a transcontinental state and eventually gave birth to the idea of building a railway. While most of the raw materials such as steel and cement came from Britain, the construction inspired the emergence of coal mining (Herbert & Douglas, 2007).
-Oil extraction and processing in the Ontario region. The Standard Oil Company was among the first ones to explore and drill for oil in the southern Ontario region. The need for pipelines to transport the oil and refineries led to the further development of the industry.
-The timber industry. The industry provided a lot of employment due to its labor intensive nature. It is mainly forests in the east that were exploited, and most of the timber was exported to Britain where demand from the ship building industry was high.
-Mechanization of agriculture. The output from agriculture had hitherto been low but increased demand for food owing to rising incomes (Ramesh, 1992) inspired innovation in the sector coupled with a diffusion of technology from the U.S and Britain.
Growth of sectors that offer support services to the primary industries
-Banks
-Canada's telegraph service, print media and Bell Telephone Company of Canada
-Transport; the electric streetcar was developed
-Water and sewerage systems in municipal areas
Effects of industrialization
-Employment and living standards were improved significantly. The timber industry was the largest employer at the time.
-Urbanization; one in three Canadians lived in an urban area (J.J complete guide to Canada staff). The rapid pace of expansion in the industrial sector created a lot of demand for jobs, and the gap was filled by people moving from the countryside into urban areas where most of the industries were located.
-Degradation of the environment. Excessive timber extraction in the East coupled with increased pollution from the numerous factories that had been set up affected the environment. The mining and use of coal made the situation worse.
-Mistreatment of labor. As a result of the sudden influx of people into urban areas, facilities were stretched. Transport facilities had not kept pace with the rate of growth and workers were often forced to live in cramped housing facilities near their working places. Working hours were also long while the wages were not commensurate with the amount of work undertaken. Gender discrimination was also rife as women and children were paid less than men even in jobs that had longer working hours compared to those of men.
Conclusion
Canada's industrial growth originated from a few core industries whose spillover effects led to the emergence of other industries that had both positive and negative impacts on the country and its people.
Preliminary reference list
Herbert, E & Douglas, O. (2007). A History of the Canadian Economy. Toronto, Ontario: Nelson College Indigenous.
J.J complete guide to Canada staff. (2016). In 19th Century Canadian History. Retrieved Feb. 25, 2016, from http://www.thecanadaguide.com/19th-century
Ramesh, M. (1992).Political Economy of Canada: An Introduction. Toronto, Canada: McClelland and Stewart.
Mulroney, B. (2007). Transforming The Nation. Montreal. Mc-Gill Queens University Press
