1916 - 1917 - Late in 1916 at the request of the Dominion Government and under general supervision and management of the C.X.L., construction started on new Cordite plant located east of the C.P.R. named the "British Cordite Ltd".  This came into production near the end of 1917 with a daily output of approximately 80,000 lbs. of Cordite.  The C.X.L.’s similar plant was then closed.  From 3500 to 4000 persons were employed during its construction and operation.

Upon completion of the ‘B.C.’ plant in 1917 at the T.N.T. plant apparently under the indirect control of interests in the USA was built in the southerly direction of the former C.X.L. Gun cotton works and powerhouse area.  This explosive (Tri-Nitro-Toluol) continued to be produced until the end of the war.

1918 - Transportation for employees working in the various war plants at Nobel and living in Parry Sound, MacTier and elsewhere along the line was effectively provided by the C.P.R. running three trains daily which at times carried up to twenty-six coaches.

1918 - 1919 - Following cessation of hostilities in 1918, all munitions plants--Cordite and T.N.T. were closed and later (about 1919) completely dismantled.  Much material of all kinds was disposed of to second hand dealers and contractors for house building in Toronto and elsewhere.

Dangerous items from certain areas were buried or treated against explosion.  Mechanical and electrical equipment of all types were sold and shipped to various countries and throughout Canada.  Nothing but concrete piers and foundations piles of rubble and earth from the rubble and earth from the barricades and the 230-foot concrete block chimney remained to mark the spot of the B.C. cordite plant.  This chimney collapsed some years after.

1938 - Twenty years later (1938) the sites upon which the various plants for war were once erected had disappeared from view under the groves of poplar, alder and brush--so ended the 1914 - 1918 epoch.

1922 - The C.X.L. original dynamite and gelatin plant, somewhat enlarged during the war and necessitated by the production of the cordite plants, continued to operate until 1922.  Economic conditions had gradually deteriorated in the interval with lower production of base metals and less construction activity.  Business generally was in a slump.  Bloeil’s production was adequate for all requirements.

1926 - The company in 1926 re-opened the "Nobel Works" executing re-fitting and rehabilitation where necessary.  The "New Village" vacant for several years was renovated and put in shape for occupation.  The plant has been in continuous operation since about early 1927.  The first of new production came off the line in January 1927--the same year that the Company name was changed from Canadian Explosives Limited to the present Canadian Industries Limited.  At the present time about 430 persons are employed.

1939 - During World War II, Nobel again became involved in production of military explosives.  At the request of the government, C.I.L. set up a subsidiary company called ‘Defence Industries Limited’.  The D.I.L. was supervised and operated, built and managed by the C.I.L. for the crown on a management fee basis.  Operations for production of T.N.T. and cordite started about 1940 continuing into 1945 and employing some 4100 workers at peak production.

Like the former British Cordite plant of 1917-18, it too was dismantled except the powerhouse and some other buildings, which it appeared, could be made use for some purpose.

Today with over 100 separate buildings and some 400 employees, Nobel Works is the second largest of Canadian Industries Limited’s five commercial explosives plants.

1946 - In 1946 A.V. Roe of Canada Ltd. assumed occupation of most of these buildings for use of their operations and later ORENDA ENGINES LTD. took over the plant as a Component Test Establishment, doing tests and research on Jet Engines for the CF 100 and the now scrapped CF 105 ARROW.  This has caused a serious employment problem in the community since they employed approximately 225 people.  The Orenda Plant has an excellent power plant and one of the most modern and equipped machine shops in Canada.

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