Technological Changes Impact

8.3.5 You will analyze the impact of changing technology and social and economic conditions on Canada’s prosperity and lifestyles in the 1950s and 1960.– How did technology affect lifestyle through

transportation, television, labour-saving devices, and industrialization?

Transportation Changes• Love of cars increased• Car sales increased• Road construction

increased• Road were paved• Large trucks began to

transport goods• Major projects

(bridges, causeways, seaways)

• Trans-Canada Highway built 1962

• Trains: diesel replaced steam

• Planes: Commercial aviation grew rapidly

• Jet engine (late 50s) made air travel popular (also freight)

• Bush pilots replaced by regular air service

Transportation Impact/Affects• Saving gas not an issue• Easier and faster to travel

(importance of good roads)• Remote communities increased

exposure to new technologies• Demand for better

transportation resulted in major projects

• People traveled more (made life exciting)

• Travel more dangerous

• More could afford what once had been a luxury (cars)

• Jobs created (e.g. truckers)

Electricity, TV, TelephonesChanges

• First 2 TV stations (CBC) in Montreal & Toronto -1952

• First private station –1953• CTV formed –1961• Coloured TV arrived mid-60s• Issue-based programs (e.g. Front Page

Challenge) created

TV & Telephones Affects• Brought an end to the storyteller era• Telephones: homes shared party line

(eavesdroppers)• Families drew together to watch favourite TV

show• People without TV set visited friends or

neighbours to watch• More sedentary (less active)• More entertainment• People stayed up later (including children)

Labour-Saving Devices Changes

• Synthetics and plastics and electronics• Central heat (coal furnace) in new basement• Demand for appliances, new kitchen gadgets,

tools, etc.–Disposable tissues–Hair spray–Wash-and-wear clothes–Transistor radios–Power lawn mowers

–Electric toaster–Cake mixes–Instant coffee–TV dinners–Automatic washer/dryer–Vacuum cleaner–Electric range

Labour-Saving Impacts

• More cost (electricity)• More dangerous• Easier• Faster• More pollution (for environment and

health)• More sedentary (less active)

Industrialization Changes• New technologies helped mining industry expand

(uranium production)• Air transport important• Oil/gas industry expanded• High-tech aviation industry developed (never recovered

from Avro Arrow cancellation)• New towns built (e.g. Kitimat)• Hydroelectric projects (power dams) begun to meet

demand• Power saws• Farmers began selling products to canning and freezing

companies (e.g. McCain)

Industrialization Affects/Impacts

• More dangerous (e.g. power-saw)• Easier (less manual labour)• Faster• More jobs• Modern machinery – fewer people farming