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TRUCKING AND THE QUEEN ELIZABETH WAY (Q.E.W.)

In the 1920's two growers in St. Catharines decided to take the risk of using trucks to ship their fruit to Toronto. Their shipments were successful and this caused some farmers to choose to divide their shipments between the fruit train and trucks.

The QEW was Canada's first "Super-highway". The construction of the QEW changed how and where many people lived and did business. In the Grimsby area, the construction of the highway altered many farms and caused some buildings to be moved or demolished. The highway was beneficial to most local farmers because it allowed for the faster movement of freight.

In the 1940's there was a significant shift in the methods of transporting fruit. As cars and trucks made their way into everyday life, they also found a place in farming. This shift in transportation was very significant. By using trucks, farmers had more control over when their fruit would leave the farm, and they would not lose as much time transporting their fruit to the railway stations.

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E. D. Smith's Transport Trucks
20th Century, Circa 1950
E. D. Smith Property, Winona, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Donated By the Niagara Fruit Institute
Grimsby Museum Collection