Dominion Provincial Youth Training Centre

1950s: Timeline

This time line consists of local, national, and international events relevant to the Canadian experience. It serves to contextualize the growth and evolution of VIU.

Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia Online

June 1950

  • Harmac pulp mill officially opened in Nanaimo, BC
  • The Korean War began as a UN operation when North Korean forces invaded the south

October 1950

  • The 1770km oil pipeline from Edmonton to the Great Lakes was completed, linking Canada's gas fields with the markets of central Canada. In 1958 Alberta gas finally reached Toronto and imports of Texas gas ended

1951

  • The census taken this year reported the population of Canada as 14,009,000

June 1953

  • Nanaimo's Fort Bastion celebrated its 100 year anniversary

Image courtesy of Nanaimo Community Archives

July 1953

An armistice ended Korean War hostilities

1955

  • Canada's Sports Hall of Fame was founded

October 1957

  • Lester Pearson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his solution to the Suez Crisis

November 1957

  • Nanaimo's Terminal Park Plaza, the first shopping centre on Vancouver Island opened for business

June 1958

  • The Second Narrows Bridge in Vancouver collapsed as a result of an engineering miscalculation. 18 workers were killed.

Image courtesy of gendisasters

March 1959

  • Barbie, the fashion doll with the impossible figure was launched by Mattel founders Ruth and Elliot Handler at a toy fair in New York City

November 1959

  • After a slapshot cut his face, Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens had the cut stitched and returned to the ice wearing a mask. He became the first goalie to wear a mask regularly.

Image courtesy of NY Daily News