Regina Plant
The Regina Plant in 1928
Map
BuiltJune 1, 1928 (1928-June-01)
OperatedDecember 11, 1928 (1928-December-11) – 1941 (1941)
LocationRegina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Coordinates50°27′27″N 104°35′47″W / 50.457592°N 104.596352°W / 50.457592; -104.596352
IndustryAutomotive
ProductsCars, trucks (later munitions)
Employees
  • 1,000 (1928)[1]
  • 400 (1937)
  • 1,596 (1943)
Area29,845 m2 (321,250 sq ft)
Address8th Avenue & Winnipeg Street
Owner(s)
Defunct1941; 83 years ago (1941)

The Regina Plant [2] was an automotive manufacturing plant owned by General Motors Canada located in Regina, Saskatchewan. The 29,845 m2 (321,250 sq ft) facility began operation on December 11, 1928 (1928-December-11), six months after it was officially announced on June 1, 1928 (1928-June-01). Regina was selected because Saskatchewan was centrally located in Western Canada and was the third most populous province in Canada. The plant had 1,000 jobs. The building was decommissioned in 2020 and as of 2021, a study is planned to be conducted on whether to demolish the building.[3]

History

The Regina Plant was announced on June 1, 1928 (1928-June-01) and commenced operations six months after it was announced on December 11, 1928 (1928-December-11). The plant produced Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles, and Pontiacs. At the time, it was the largest manufacturing plant in Regina.

In October 1929, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred causing car sales to decrease sharply. The plant laid off some workers in early 1930. By August 1930, all production at the plant was stopped.[4] In March 1931, the plant reopened, but production once again stopped a few months later.

In 1937, the plant reopened after General Motors spent CA$700,000 (almost half the original cost of the plant, CA$1,500,000) on renovations. The reopened plant had 400 jobs, under half then what it had when it originally opened.[5] The plant also began producing Buicks and Maple Leaf trucks (modified Chevrolet trucks).

In 1941, due to World War II, plant was taking over by the Government of Canada, making GM no longer the owner, renamed Regina Industries Limited and was converted to the largest munitions plant in Saskatchewan, primarily focusing on gun carriages and anti-tank guns.[6] In 1943, the plant employed 1,596 people. After the war, the plant was no longer used for vehicle manufacturing as production and distribution techniques changed, making it impractical for General Motors to operate the plant.[4][5] The plant was used by the Department of National Defence until the mid-1960s. The building was acquired by the Government of Saskatchewan in 1967 and was used by various tenants.[7] In 1987 the building was purchased by the City of Regina. It housed several City departments as well as private and public sector tenants.[8]

On May 3, 2017, the Regina Plant caught fire, causing significant damage to the building. The surrounding areas was blocked off and power was cut to prevent further fire.[9][7]

The plant is still standing and was used by several businesses for commercial purposes until 2020, when the building was decommissioned by the City of Regina. As of 2021, a study is planned to be conducted on whether to demolish the building, citing environmental concerns and asbestos in the building. The adjacent office building will not be demolished due to its heritage designation, and is still in use.[3]

Brands produced

See also

References

  1. ^ "Made in Canada: A look at the long history of Canadian cars and the people who build them". Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  2. ^ "Motor Car Production Under Way". The Leader-Post. Vol. XXIX. December 15, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Stephanow, Cally (8 February 2021). "A look at the history of Regina's old GM plant as City mulls demolition". CTV News. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Dale Edward (2018-12-14). "When General Motors in Oshawa made Regina 'Western Canada's motor city' | Regina Leader-Post". Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  5. ^ a b Johnson, Dale Edward (December 29, 2017). "Johnson: Regina's joyous December 80 years ago, when GM plant reopened". Regina Leader-Post. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Jackson, David (August 21, 2019). "General Motors of Canada in World War Two". The American Automobile Industry in World War Two.
  7. ^ a b "Updated: Fire in Regina's old GM plant engulfs building; 30 fire fighters on the ground". 620 CKRM The Source | Country Music, News, Sports in Sask. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  8. ^ personal conversation with City of Regina real estate department
  9. ^ "'The flames were just massive': Old GM Plant in Regina ravaged by fire". Global News. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
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