Ford Motor Co. of Canada, Ltd. - 1930 dated Automotive Stock Certificate - 100 Share Blue Type

Nice vignette on this Stock printed by Canadian Bank Note Co., Limited. Rare! 

The Ford Motor Company of Canada was established on August 17, 1904, just a year after Henry Ford founded the parent company in Detroit. Seeking to expand into the British Empire while avoiding high import tariffs, Henry Ford partnered with Gordon McGregor, the head of the Walkerville Wagon Works in Windsor, Ontario. This strategic move granted the Canadian branch exclusive rights to manufacture and sell Ford vehicles across the British Commonwealth (excluding the UK). Operations began in a modest converted wagon factory, where a handful of employees assembled the first Canadian-built Fords by ferrying parts across the Detroit River via ferry.

Throughout the mid-20th century, Ford of Canada became an industrial powerhouse and a cornerstone of the Canadian economy. The company played a vital role during World War II, pivoting its production lines to produce hundreds of thousands of military vehicles for Allied forces. In 1965, the signing of the Canada-United States Automotive Products Agreement (Auto Pact) revolutionized the business, allowing for a more integrated North American market and leading to the expansion of major facilities like the Oakville Assembly Plant. Today, while the manufacturing landscape has shifted toward electric vehicle innovation, Ford remains Canada’s longest-standing automotive manufacturer, maintaining a deep-rooted legacy in the nation’s labor and transportation history.