Canada as a Food Source for the Allies
With the war waging on European soil, Canada was called upon to help supply their allies abroad with foodstuffs. To support soldiers serving overseas and the United Kingdom, Canada reorganized food policies at home. Canada, along with the United States and other parts of the British Empire, provided Britain with desperately needed foodstuffs and other supplies as they were cut off from the European continent following the fall of France.
Canada sent foodstuffs like wheat and flour, bacon, eggs, and dairy products, including cheese and evaporated milk, overseas to Britain. In 1941, Canadian exports made up 77% of Britain’s wheat and flour consumption. Though this declined to 57% by the end of the war, Canada was still a significant food source for rationed Britons. Canada also provided almost 40% of Britain’s bacon and almost 25% of Britain’s cheese during the war.
Canadians also contributed food to Britain through programs like the “Ton of Jam Britain” project, organized and carried out by people around Powell River, British Columbia. Community members from Powell River to Stillwater harvested local blackberries in the summer of 1941 and the following summer thousands of pounds of jam was shipped to Britain.
In order to send foodstuffs to Britain, there needed to be a reorganization of how food was produced and distributed at home. Creating a surplus was accomplished in a few ways. First, some foodstuffs were rationed in Canada. Even so, following the desperate years of the depression the more equal distribution of food on a rationed system allowed many Canadians to eat better than they had in years. Another tactic used by the Canadian government to create surplus food to be sent overseas was to promote alternatives to items like meat. Meat was rationed in Canada in 1943, so meatless recipes and protein alternatives, like beans, eggs, or cheaper cuts of meat became more popular. The government also encouraged Canadians to consume ‘patriotic’ meals, like lobster, allowing for other meat products to be shipped overseas.
Supplies from Canada en route to Britain had to cross the Atlantic Ocean. During the war German U-boats filled the ocean trying to cut off Britain from its allies. Nevertheless, Canada was able to supply necessary foodstuffs to the United Kingdom which crossed the treacherous ocean in convoys of merchant ships with naval escorts. This support helped Britain make it through the toughest times of the war.
World War II was a total war, which meant that everyone, including civilians, was affected by the conflict. Many Canadians served overseas, and those at home went in droves to new wartime industries. However, Canadians felt the effects of war in other ways as well. Every Canadian, regardless if they worked in a wartime industry or had a loved one overseas, was impacted by rationing. During the war, supplies like food, fabric, metals, and rubber, were in high demand for war material or feeding soldiers and allies. For example, gasoline was rationed and the purchase of gasoline required coupons from the ration booklet. This blog series will focus on rationed goods, how Canadians supplemented their personal food sources, and how Canada organized supplies to provide relief to their allies.