Below is a list of events that took place in New Brunswick and have had a substantial impact on Canada’s Industrial History. All information for these events can be found by clicking on the event; you will be redirected to Parks Canada’s website.
First Export of Coal. Minto, New Brunswick. After the occupation of Acadie by the French, coal was discovered. This export of coal was the first to be developed on the eastern coast of North America.
Forest Industry in New Brunswick. Saint John, New Brunswick. The forest industry in New Brunswick began with producing timber for shipbuilding followed by a shift to the production of pulp and paper.
Founding of the Saint John Labourers’ Benevolent Association. Market Slip, Saint John, New Brunswick. In 1849, longshoremen from Saint John founded a society based on mutual aid and collective bargaining. This is recognized as one of the earliest labour unions in British North America.
New Brunswick Forest Products Industry. Edmunston, New Brunswick. The export of ship masts in the 1780s led to the square timber trade in the early 1800s. After 1850, the industry depended on mill-produced rough-sawn lumber. In the 1920s the industry transformed again due to the increase of pulp and paper mills.
Shipbuilding in New Brunswick. St. Martins, New Brunswick. The shipbuilding industry in New Brunswick has origins in the late 18th century. Craftsmen in the colony managed to produce over 6,000 vessels (a third of the total tonnage produced in British North America) during the 19th century.
System of Tide Gates (Aboiteaux). Memramcook, New Brunswick. After the invention of the tide-gate system, Acadians were able to succeed in drying and cultivating marshlands that were previously unproductive.