World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseSmall Arms, Ltd., a Crown company, was created in response to the Canadian entry into WW2. Construction for its facilities, located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on the shores of Lake Ontario near Toronto, began in Aug 1940. For being just across the border with the Long Branch neighborhood of Toronto, the facilities were also referred to as the "Long Branch Factory" or "Long Branch Arsenal". Small Arms Ltd. was under the command of Captain (later Colonel) Malcolm P. Jolley of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, who held the title of General Manager in this civilian company. Merely ten months later, on the final day of Jun 1941, Small Arms Ltd. had already delivered its first products, five Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mark I rifles, for Canadian Army trials. The production line later grew to include Sten Mark II submachine guns, the Long Branch Training Rifle, and magazines for the US M3 carbine. In Jun 1941, Small Arms, Ltd. had 735 employees. It grew to about 1,200 in 1942 and 5,500 in 1943. About 62% of its workforce were women. The growth of the company led to housing shortages in the area, and a dormitory with space for 422 female employees was constructed in 1943 on nearby Dixie Road and Lakeshore Road East in an attempt to alleviate the situation. The Long Branch streetcar lines were also expanded to service employees who found housing further away. On 31 Dec 1945, after the end of WW2, Small Arms, Ltd. was taken over by the Small Arms Division of Canadian Arsenals Limited. Production ceased, and most of the employees that remained were those with accounting responsibilities in order to close out various accounts. The company's charter was officially disbanded in Mar 1946. Canadian Arsenals Limited held on to the facilities in Mississauga until 1974. After which, most of the buildings were torn down, and much of the land had since been converted to other uses, including a park.

Small Arms, Ltd. Interactive Map

Photographs

Small Arms, Ltd. Timeline