Arsenal FC Lands (Mississauga, Ontario)

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A Former WW2 munitions factory used to be located here. Now owned by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.


Small Arms Limited

In 1941, the Department of Defense created Small Arms Limited to manufacture rifles for the Canadian and British Armies. Built on the Army`s 360 acre rifle range property, the 212,000 sq. ft. facility included a factory, three warehouses, range and proof buildings and 40 acres of parking. At its height the plant employed 5,500 workers working three shifts, over 65% of whom were women, many of which lived in temporary housing constructed on the north side of Lakeshore Road.

By the end of the War, the plant had produced 905,000 Lee Enfield rifles, 126,000 Mark II Sten machine guns as well as sniper rifles and pistols. After the war the plant was operated by Canadian Arsenals-Small Arms Division which continued to manufacture arms for the Canadian military, although on a much reduced scale. In 1974 the factory was closed. The Canadian Government which still owned the property tore down the buildings over the following years.