During the early years of the Second World War, the City of North Vancouver was unable to keep up with the housing needs of a huge influx of shipyard employees.
The federal government stepped in to help and established Wartime Housing Ltd. in 1941.
Under this program, more housing was built in North Vancouver in two years than had been built in the previous two decades! This housing filled empty lots that had reverted to the city during the hard times and bankruptcies of the Great Depression.
New structures included 687 single-family rental dwellings, two barracks-type apartments for bachelors, an administration building, a school, a school addition, a recreation centre and a firehall.
The houses had no basements, to make removal easier, as it was expected that they would be demolished after the war.
Some of the housing, nevertheless, survived well past the end of the war as evidenced by this photo from 1980 showing a typical two-bedroom home on McNaughton Crescent.
Visit the MONOVA website for more information about the history of the North Shore and to learn about MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver opening in 2021.
Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver at 3203 Institute Rd. in Lynn Valley is open by appointment only. Contact: [email protected]
Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.
