Page:EB1922 - Volume 30.djvu/596

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550
CANADA


production when the Yukon came suddenly into prominence in 1897 as a new source of supply. Then Porcupine loomed on the horizon as a rich producer, and Ontario as a consequence in 1920 yielded half the total production, viz. 811,665,735. Manitoba has become a small producer, the gold being derived from the newly opened region north of the Pas. Nova Scotia and Quebec have been small but steady producers for years. There are inviting prospects for gold over large areas of northern Ontario, northern Quebec, northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and throughout British Columbia.

In 1890 and 1891 rich discoyeries in silver were made in the Slocan district of British Columbia, the silver being found associated with lead in galena ores. The province has since been a large pro- ducer both of silver and lead, and now also of zinc, which is usually a concomitant of lead and silver in the Kootenay silver-lead ores. In 1903, however, deposits were discovered in northern Ontario about loo m. north-east of Sudbury, in what is now known as Cobalt, which proved to be marvellously rich in silver, so much so that in 1911 the production there was over $30,500,000. The Thunder Bay region west of Port Arthur yielded silver as far back as 1846, and attention is again being directed to the old mines.

Despite the fact that for a number of years Government bounties were paid on lead and zinc mined and smelted in Canada, the output of these metals did not increase, except during the war, when the demand for lead eliminated the bounties automatically, and new processes made the extraction of zinc practicable. Nearly all the production in both metals is in British Columbia, although Quebec and Ontario contribute small amounts. There are notable deposits in several parts of Ontario, in the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, and in northern New Brunswick.

Copper is widely distributed throughout Canada and where found is usually in large bodies. Of nearly 110,000,000 Ib. produced in Canada in 1917, British Columbia contributed well over one-half, Ontario came next with about 43,000,000 Ib., drawn mainly from the Sudbury district, and Quebec third with over 5,000,000 Ib. The new district of the Pas gave over 2,000,000 Ib. and the Yukon about 300,000 Ib. Depending upon the future demands for copper, the possibilities of Canada in British Columbia, in the Yukon, in the extreme north of Canada, in northern Ontario and in Quebec, including Ungava, are without doubt very great.

Sudbury district in Ontario, which is characterized by the richness and diversity of its minerals, is the chief source of nickel. Two very large companies are in operation and have constructed refineries, their investments representing between $15,000,000 and $20,000,000. New Caledonia, lying about 1,000 m. east of Australia, is the only serious competitor to Canada in nickel production. Among the other metals whose ores are mined in Canada are molybdenum and antimony, very widely distributed, but of which very few payable deposits are known. Platinum occurs in the placer deposits of Quebec and British Columbia, and prospecting is active.

The total mineral production (metallic and non-metallic) of Canada iti 1920 was valued at $102,353,862, including the following items: coal, $77,326,853; nickel, $24,854,597; gold, $15,853,478; copper, $14,166,479; asbestos, $13,677,841; silver, $12,908,683; zinc, $3,081,149; lead, $3,038,346; pig-iron, $2,066,997. The output of structural materials and clay products was valued at $38,184,848.

Water-Power. The officials of the Dominion Water-power Branch, Department of the Interior, have made a careful re-analysis of the water-power resources, which are one of the Dominion's greatest natural assets. The figures in Table VII. are based upon rapids, falls and power sites, of which the actual existent drop or the head possible of concentration is definitely known or at least well established. Innumerable rapids and falls of greater or lesser power capacity not as yet recorded are scattered on rivers and streams from coast to coast, particularly in the great northern country, much of which is still practically unexplored. The power estimates have been calculated for 24-hour power at 80% efficiency on the basis of " ordinary minimum flow " and " estimated flow for maximum development." The former is derived from the averages of the minimum flow for the lowest two consecutive seven-day periods in each year, over the period for which records are available, and the latter from the continuous power indicated by the flow of the stream for six months in the year. As will be seen from the table, the recorded power available throughout the Dominion is 18,255,000 H.P. The water-power available under estimated flow for maximum development, that is, dependable for at least six months in the year, is 32,076,000 H.P.

There are installed throughout the Dominion water-wheels and turbines to the extent of 2,471,000 H.P. An analysis of the water- power plants scattered from coast to coast gives an average machine installation 50% greater than the six-month flow maximum power. Applying this, the figures indicate that the water-power resources recorded in 1920 permit of a turbine installation of 41,700,000 H.P. In other words, turbine installations represented in 1920 only 5-9% of the recorded water-power resources. Though industrial and com- mercial conditions were still far from normal, in 1920 there was installed, or under construction, plant of 500,000 H.P. capacity. This figure, however, includes only initial installation, not ultimate designed capacity. Should the rate of water-wheel installation during the previous 15 years be continued, it was estimated that in 1940 Canada would have 5,600,000 H.P. developed water-power.

TABLE VII. Water-Power .

Province

Available 24-hour power at 80 % efficiency.

Turbine Installation H.P.

At ordinary min. flow H.P.

At est. flow for max. dev. (dependable for 6 mos.) H.P.

British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba . Ontario Quebec New Brunswick . Nova Scotia Prince Edward I. Yukon & North-west Territories

1,931,142

475,281

5I348I 3,270,491 4,950,300 6,915,244 50,406 20,751 3,000

125,220

5,103,460

1,137,505 1,087,756 5,769,444 6,808,190 11,640,052 120,807 128,264 5,270

275,250

304,535 32,492

83,447 1,052,048

925,972 21,180

35,774 1,933

13,199

18,255,316

32,075,998

2,470,580

Canada exports annually about 200,000 H.P. to the United States. The export takes place from New Brunswick to Maine, from Quebec to New York state, from Ontario to New York and Minnesota, and from British Columbia to the state of Washington.

Manufactures. The increase in the industries of Canada during the period 1910-21 was very remarkable. War activities and increased prices accounted to a considerable extent for increased volume of production and value of output. In 1921 industry in all branches showed the decline in output which was almost universal on account of lack of foreign demand and industrial disputes. The capital employed was $1,247,583,699 in 1910, and $3,034,301,915 in 1918; and the value of product $1,165,975,639 in 1910 and $3,458,-

036,975 i? 1918.

The principal industries, with the value of products in 1918, were officially as follow: Flour and grist-mill products, $262,537,122; slaughtering and meat-packing, $229,231,666; rolling-mills and steel furnaces, $209,706,319; munitions, $186,034,920; lumber, lath and shingles, $146,333,192; pulp and paper, $119,309,434; butter and cheese, $94,927,032; foundry and machine-shop products, $82,493,- 897; shipbuilding and repairs, $74,799,411; cottons, $66,399,228; cars and car works, $66,068,705; smelting, $62,482,256; house- building, $60,522,151; sugar-refining, $58,812,219; electric light and power, $53,449,133; boots and shoes, $46,387,665; hosiery and knit goods, $45,755,129; plumbing and tin-smithing, $41,870,529; car repairs, $40,972,617; drugs and chemicals, $38,252,587; tobacco, $37,883,974; agricultural implements, $34,853,673; fish-preserving, $34,007,628; men's clothing, $33,835,793; leather, $33,273,925: women's clothing, $32,346,340; printing and publishing, $30,325,123; electrical apparatus and supplies, $30,045,399; boilers and engines, $29,470,457; lumber products, $29,125,925. _ .

Trade. The great expansion of trade during 1910-21 is shown in Table VIII., which gives the value of imports and exports.

TABLE VIII. Imports and Exports.


Imports

Exports

1911 .

$ 452,724,603

$ 290,000,210

1912 .

522,404,675

307,716,151

1913 . . .

671,207,234

377,068,355

1914 . . .

619,193,998

455,437,224

1915 . . .

455,955,908

461,442,509

1916 .

508,201,134

779,300,070

1917 . . ' .

846,450,878

1,179,211,100

1918 . . .

963,532,578

1,586,169,792

1919 . . .

919,711,705

1,268,765,285

1920 .

1,064,528,123

1,286,658,709

The principal customers were the United Kingdom and the United States. Table IX. gives the values of Canada's imports from, and exports to, the United States; and Table X. Canada's imports from, and exports to, the United Kingdom.

TABLE IX. Trade with United States.


Imports

Exports

1911 .

$275,824,265

$112,208,676

1912 .

331,384,657

112,956,295

1913 . . .

436,887,315

150,961,675

1914 . . .

396,302,138

176,948,299

1915 . . .

297,142,059

186,342,856

1916 .

370,880,549

216,669,262

1917 . . .

665,312,759

290,578,773

1918 . . .

792,894,957

440,811,400

1919 . . .

750,203,024

477,695,659

1920 .

801,097,318

501,130,117