34 Fabulous Color Photos of Mid-Century Canada

Black and white photos often paint the past in a serious, almost somber light. Yet, mid-century Canada was anything but dull. The following color photographs from this era reveal a vibrant nation during transformation, bursting with life and optimism. Let’s journey back in time and explore the hues of a Canada finding its stride.

Mid-century cities buzzed with activity. Shiny new cars, often in bold colours like cherry red or turquoise, lined the streets. Buildings sported sleek, modern designs, showcasing the era’s fascination with progress. People dressed in their Sunday best strolled down bustling sidewalks, their colourful attire mirroring the hopeful spirit of the times. These photos capture a nation embracing modernity and stepping confidently into the future.

Stepping inside homes, we find families gathered around new-fangled televisions, sharing laughter and stories. Kitchens, often the heart of the home, are alive with activity as mothers prepare meals in brightly coloured appliances. Children, dressed in playful patterns and bold hues, fill backyards with their games and laughter. These images offer a glimpse into the everyday lives of Canadians, showcasing the warmth and joy of family life during this period.

 The vast landscapes, from the rugged mountains to the serene lakes, are breathtaking in their vibrant detail.  Deep blues of pristine lakes contrast with the lush greens of forests, while golden wheat fields stretch across the prairies under a bright blue sky. These images remind us of the diverse and awe-inspiring landscapes that define Canada.

#1 A man and a woman on bicycles consult a road map on the bank of the Ottawa River, Rockcliffe Park, Ontario, June 1952

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#2 Guests on the lawn at Fern Cottage summer resort, Lake Couchiching, Orillia, Ontario

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#3 Visitors relax on the lawn at the Star Cabins resort in Ontario

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#4 Shirley Emerson of Saint John, New Brunswick, lines up her gear to go fishing with her father, R.B. Emerson

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#5 Father, mother and two little girls fly-fish in a boat on Story Lake, Ontario, 1951

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#6 A couple fishing from rocks at Burleigh Falls, Ontario

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#7 Coffee is served outdoors to guests at the Laurentide Inn winter resort in the Laurentians, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec, 1953

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#8 Inuit child sailing his toy boat with caribou skin sails

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#9 A man and two women rest on a hill above MacLaren Pond while hiking in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick ,1950

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#10 Ulaajuk (left) and Kaqslui (right),

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#11 Lowering car onto production line tracks, Ford Motor Company of Canada, 1961

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#12 An automobile exits a drying oven after being painted, General Motors, Oshawa, Ontario, 1959

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#13 Man, woman and young girl playing with a beach ball in the water at the beach, 1950

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#14 Two men and two women have drinks under an umbrella at an outdoor table, Fundy National Park, New Brunswick

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#15 Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and another elderly man stand before a crowd of spectators, 1951

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#16 ean Paul Lemieux teaching at the École des Beaux Arts, Quebec

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#17 Girl sitting at desk flipping through textbook pages at Putnam School

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#18 Woman kneeling with bow and arrow in her hands. Archery in Stanley Park, 1954

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#19 Woman and three children outside in winter clothes, May 1956

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#20 Captain Peter Troake cuts mate Ches Pelley’s hair while Gerald Drover jokes around on board the MV Christmas Seal, Newfoundland and Labrador

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#21 Visitors examine hooked rugs, Québec, Quebec

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#22 A woman uses machinery to make cups at Maple Leaf Plastics, Toronto, Ontario

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#23 Howard Robbins has a quick coffee and sandwich during harvesting operations, Matador Cooperative Farm, Saskatchewan, 1953

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#24 Interior, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Montréal, Quebec 1967

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#25 Inspecting paper currency, Canadian Bank Note Company, Ottawa, Ontario, 1957

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#26 Montreal street at night, Quebec

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#27 A conveyor belt with peaches on it. In the background can be seen a young woman placing peaches in baskets. Grimsby, Ontario, 1957

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#28 Colonel and Mrs. G.E. Leprohon, patrons of Au Lutin, Montreal, feeding the restaurant pig with a baby bottle, Quebec

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#29 Three women in the Canadian Army paddling a canoe, Canada

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#30 Betty Chan admires Pipe Major Bill MacLeod’s tie, made from the MacLeod tartan, at a festival, Kildonan Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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#31 Paint technician Jean Bedard is tinting in the Control Laboratory at Ottawa Paint Works, Ontario ,1955

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#32 Inuit boy [Saviarjuk Usuarjuk] in front of rack of drying fish, Ivujivik, Quebec, 1951

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#33 Mrs. Merle K. Stier, Stampede Queen (centre), and two attendants watch riding and roping events at the Calgary Stampede

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#34 Two women feeding a black bear at Nuisance Grands, Banff National Park, Alberta, 1951

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