VICTORY HOMES the Answer to Canada’s First Housing Crisis

Inflation, a focus on luxury homes that are out of reach for the average Canadian, and uncoordinated but necessary immigration have all contributed to Canada’s current housing crisis.

A little over 80 years ago, Canada experienced its first housing crisis due to a massive influx of people into cities to work in essential war industries. To meet the demand for housing, the Federal Government established Wartime Housing Ltd. in 1941, with construction mogul Joseph Pigott at the helm. This organization was tasked with building single-family residences and dormitories for single men, resulting in the construction of nearly 38,000 homes between 1943 and 1947.

I came across a comprehensive description of these homes in an August 10, 2020 article in “Ontario Construction News,” authored by Ontario historian Susanna McLeod.

McLeod described two styles of homes: one with four rooms and one with six, either single-story or 1 ½ stories, ranging in size from 600 to 1,200 square feet. The most popular style was the “strawberry box” shaped house, characterized by a steep roof, shallow eaves, small sash windows, and a clapboard exterior finish, sometimes made of composite shingles, stucco, or brick veneer. Other options included a three-section picture window, a center or side hall, and in some cases, an open porch.

Due to the urgency of the situation, construction sites operated with remarkable efficiency. Workshops on each site resembled “a smooth-operating machine,” with building crews working around the clock. Each team focused on a single task before moving on to the next home. This schedule was so effective that a fully finished house with wiring, plumbing, interior finish, and rockwood insulation could be completed in just 36 hours. Additionally, a fuel box capable of storing wood or coal for heating stoves was attached to the exterior of these homes.

Upon completion, these homes were ready for tenants, with rental prices ranging from $22 to $30 per month (equivalent to $391 to $533 today), considering that the yearly average wages were $1,525 (equivalent to $26,652 today). As Canada still faced a housing shortage at the end of the War, these temporary homes, designed to last a maximum of 40 years, were incorporated into the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), who then sold around 30,000 of them to their former tenants. Almost immediately, these new owners started making alterations to ensure that these temporary homes would far exceed their original lifespan.

In Cornwall, wartime houses began active construction in 1943 for the military and for people who had been “imported” from across Canada to work in essential industries. These homes can be easily identified, located just north of the old square mile in Cornwall Township on the old fairgrounds. Street names like Dieppe, Dunkirk, and Vimy permanently memorialize some of Canada’s and the British Empire’s most significant and heart-rending military events from both World Wars.

Cornwall’s first 38 “Victory Homes” were completed and occupied in 1943. These homes were initially built on cedar piles without permanent foundations. The next series of homes were constructed with foundations, and by 1947, the area between Pitt and Sydney Street had 115 homes. Due to the rapid development of the area, the streets were originally gravel with boardwalk sidewalks. An additional 15 (some sources say 12) homes were constructed on McGregor Avenue.

With the war over, City Council followed CMHC’s lead and put 127 homes up for sale, leaving behind visible evidence of Cornwall’s wartime effort and a tangible response to Canada’s first housing crisis.