Vignettes
/ The Exchange
District / Main
Canadian Wheat Board
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Prior to World War I, many farmers felt captive to the railways, the line elevator companies, and the Winnipeg Grain Exchange for the delivery, weighing, grading, and pricing of their grain. They wanted greater power and protection for themselves in the grain marketing system.
The Grain Growers’ Grain Company was established in 1905 putting pressure on the provincial governments to establish provincially owned elevator companies. In 1912, the federal government passed the Canada Grain Act, which established the Canadian Grain Commission as the official weigher and inspector of grain.