Canadian Car & Foundry

“Can Car” was the main plant of Canada’s largest aircraft manufacturer during the Second World War. Here, workers built 1,451 of the reliable Hawker Hurricanes that won renown in the Battle of Britain and 835 Curtiss Helldivers, significantly expanding Allied air power. Now a mass-transit factory, this complex retains many early 20th-century elements behind its modern exterior. It speaks to the wartime contributions of its workers, including some 3,000 women who moved into jobs traditionally held by men, mastering new skills such as riveting, welding, and precision drilling. These women would serve as models for later generations.

” Can Car ” fut l’usine principale du plus grand avionneur canadien de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Ses ouvriers ont accru la puissance aérienne alliée en construisant 1 451 Hawker Hurricanes, avion fiable qui s’illustra pendant la bataille d’Angleterre, et 835 Curtiss Helldivers. Modernisé pour la fabrication de matériel de transport collectif, ce complexe conserve maints éléments du début du XXe siècle. Il rappelle l’effort de guerre de ses ouvriers, dont 3 000 femmes qui ont su maîtriser des métiers alors réservés aux hommes, comme le rivetage, la soudure et le forage de précision, servant d’inspiration pour les générations à venir.