The Auto Industry
The rise of the automotive industry in Windsor-Essex shaped, and continues to shape the region's economy, identity, and urban landscape more profoundly than any other force in the 20th century. Often referred to as "Canada's Motor City", Windsor became a hub of automotive production thanks to its proximity to Detroit, access to transportation infrastructure, and skilled labour force.
The turning point came in 1904, when the Ford Motor Company of Canada was established in Windsor (then Walkerville). Over the following decades, other major manufacturers, including Chrysler/Stellantis and General Motors, set up plants in the city, turning Windsor into a vital hub in North America's rapidly growing auto economy. By mid-century, the region's factories were producing thousands of vehicles annually and employing even more workers.
The items featured in this section of the exhibit include photographs, union newsletters, strike notices, and company publications, in an effort to help trace the development of Windsor's automotive industry from its early roots to its evolving role in the 21st century. Together, these items reveal how the auto sector has shaped not just Windsor's economy, but its people, culture, and place in the world.
The items presented in this section range from archival photographs to commemorative corporate publications and offer a layered view of the transformation of the automotive industry. For example, the photo of the Detroit Ford plant contextualizes Windsor’s development within a broader transnational framework, while images of the Ford Windsor Plant and the record-setting output of 1,000 chassis in one day reflect both technological advancement and industrial scale. The production of the millionth Ford vehicle in Canada in 1929 stands as a symbol of Windsor’s centrality to Ford’s success and Canada’s industrialization more broadly.
Equally important are the documents that hint at the human stories behind the machines. The “Fifty Years Forward With Ford” retrospective paints a picture of corporate expansion, but between its lines lies a narrative of workers, communities, and the urban changes driven by industry. As analyzed by Morrison in Garden Gateway to Canada, Windsor’s urban and social fabric evolved in tandem with its factories, from the rise of union activism to the suburban sprawl tied to automotive affluence.
These sources together reveal a city that did not merely house industry—it was defined by it. Windsor-Essex’s growth, struggles, and character in the 20th century are inextricable from the gears and labor of its auto plants. This history continues to reverberate today, as the region contends with automation, globalization, and efforts to reimagine industrial labor for a new century.
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