Introduction
Logo of the Montreal Cotton Co., c. 1910.
Doon Heritage Crossroad, 972.024.002
The cotton industry was the outcome of British ingenuity and venture capital. Previously, cotton had been imported from Great Britain and the United States. But the American Civil War slowed cotton production south of the border, resulting in a flood of textile plants coming north, which in turn led to the fast growth of Canada’s cotton industry in New Brunswick, Ontario and more specifically Quebec, where conditions were highly favourable to light industry.
Foundation Ledger of the Montreal Cotton Co., 1873-1884. Beerd Frank van de Werfhorst Collection.
Photo: Luc Bouvrette / Musée de société des Deux-Rives.
This construction wave started in the early 1870s, following the increase in customs tariffs for imported textile products. Ten years later, investors were able to reach agreements by which production could be diversified and overproduction controlled. But these agreements were difficult to uphold, and two Montreal industrialists gained controlling interests and bought several mills. Andrew Frederick Gault and David Morrice had tremendous wealth and, as a result, most textile mills ended up within 160 km of Montreal. Their plants benefited from an abundant labour force. The proximity of markets and access to railroads helped to stabilize and strengthen their business ventures until WWII. Thanks to tariff protection and large capital investments, textile became one of the most prolific industries in Canada. The textile industry provided thousands of jobs, mostly for women and children. All of this led to the arrival of the Montreal Cotton Company to Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. Nicknamed "Canada’s Fortress", this cotton mill was the largest in Canada for nearly one hundred years.