This panel provides photographs of industry in Whitby in 2017, alongside text about the history of industry in the town.

History of Industry in Whitby

Whitby’s industrial focus in the early 1800s was on agriculture, including the cultivation of land and livestock development. Whitby’s harbor served as an important nexus for regional trade; in the coming decades, Whitby would become the centre of the export trade to the American market, routinely shipping lumber, wheat, flour, and more.

Additionally, in this time Whitby’s industries expanded to include skilled craftsmen, merchants, and manufacturers. The first merchant store opened in 1823, and this was quickly followed by others. Early attempts at manufacturing were centered around sawmills, which produced lumber, and gristmills, which produced flour. The lumber produced by sawmills tended to be used for local construction projects, while the products of gristmills were sold abroad.

In the mid-1800s, Whitby’s trade dominance began to decline, and development of the region slowed considerably. Whitby’s trade monopoly was imperiled by a number of factors, including pest invasions of local wheat crops, the termination of trade reciprocity with the United States, and incursions in the region from better-resourced Toronto merchants. At the time, the market for livestock was limited, and Whitby’s distance from Toronto meant that produce could not be marketed there profitably. Ensuing economic struggles meant that the town’s growth was limited in the coming decades.

In 2017, many of the citizens of Whitby commute to other areas in the Greater Toronto Area to work. The industrial landscape within Whitby has changed too—key industrial focuses include professional and technical services, health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and more. Major employers in the town include AECOM (architectural, engineering, and construction consulting); Ball Packaging (beverage containers); Gerdau (steel); Lear (auto parts); Golder Associates (geotechnical and environmental consulting); and others.

Industrial development in the region has tended to have a negative impact on the landscape. Whitby manufacturers, particularly Co-Steel Lasco, have been criticized regarding their pollutive practices. Additionally, Whitby harbour’s water quality remains degraded as a result of the trade boom of the early 1800s.