Shopping

One of the lesser known tasks of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board was to control residential rents, as a way to prevent landlord gouging and mitigate shortages of rental units.

Personal motorized vehicles were a luxury few Canadians could afford at the start of the twentieth century. Many owners enjoyed showing off their vehicles, like the farmer posed in this vehicle on his property in Plympton, Ontario. 

Driving became a popular pastime for vehicle owners. A couple posed with their dog on a drive in their motorized vehicle in Plympton, Ontario in 1918. 

A decorated truck used in a parade for Lambton county's 149th Battalion, in Plympton-Wyoming, Ontario.

The Cunard Bulletin was a newspaper distributed aboard the vessels of the Cunard Line. This issue was published on the ship Carmania, and was likely picked up by a soldier on his return home that followed demobilization.

Canadian soldiers enlisting in the Canadian Expeditionary Force were offered protection and profits by the Canadian Life Assurance Company in 1915. Insurance companies often produced ink blotter ads as a multi-purpose advertisement. 

Soldiers travelling in 1914, were given a chance to buy a life policy with the Canadian Life Assurance Company. This ad also provided a free war map to soldiers.

The Toronto Star had to do its best to produce as many Star Weekly issues with the available paper during the war. However, in this communication by R.B Cowan, the Toronto Star's circulation manager, explains that they are unable to increase orders above 750,000 copies. 

In light of rationing measures that affected paper, the Toronto Star had difficulty producing as many issues as it had done in the past. Nevertheless, this communication from R.B Cowan, the Toronto Star's circulation manager explains that a small increment in orders for the weekly issue of July 29th is possible, just not exponentially more than the 714,000 copies that were already being made each week! 

During the Second World War Canadians would have had to use a ration coupon book just like this one to purchase beer.