For 150 years, through both World Wars and beyond, the Orica site in Brownsburg-Chatham has been manufacturing ammunition and explosives. Previously known as Dominion Cartridge and later as CIL, the Orica site was founded in 1875. The celebration was held at Parc des vétérans, where history was honoured and the community gathered in remembrance and celebration.
Orica, the Ville de Brownsburg-Chatham, and the Musée régional d’Argenteuil hosted the commemorative event, inviting families and workers from past and present to celebrate its contributions to Canadian industry and wartime production.
The unveiling of the Bomb Girls monument was a highlight of the event, commemorating the lives of the young women from Argenteuil and beyond who contributed to war efforts on the home front by working in the ammunition factories during both World Wars.
The monument bears the words: “These women risked their lives to make the world better.”
Orica Director of Initiation Systems Products Katherine Downing highlighted her personal connection to the site: “Manufacturing right here at our Brownsburg plant has been a pillar of the community for 150 years, and there is a special significance to me. During the 1940s, my grandmother was one of the Bomb Girls who made the shells for the war effort.”
Musée régionale d’Argenteuil Director Robert Simard spoke to the crowd about the history of the site and its people, saying, “People who worked here in Brownsburg came from everywhere. Back in 1939, there was a war. People from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario came here, young girls and women left their families to come here and work at the plant.”
“Back in those days, they were making 120 million rounds of .303 ammunition per year. It wasn’t just bullets, but mortars and other munitions. Workers often shared beds; when one was sleeping, another was working. It was a 24-hour operation to feed the war effort overseas,” Simard said, highlighting the dedication and importance of the many women at the site.
As part of the event, Simard introduced the bilingual book celebrating the Brownsburg Bomb Girls’ legacy, planned for release in November 2025. The book project was financed by the Orica Brownsburg plant and will be the first local history book published in Argenteuil since 1964.
“The book tells your story,” Simard emphasized to the families in attendance.
Historian and author Barbara Dickson, founder and Chair of the Bomb Girls Legacy Foundation, also spoke to attendees on the significance of marking 150 years in Brownsburg.
“In my mission to commemorate the invaluable work carried out by dedicated Canadians on the home front, I met a Brownsburg family who saw 12 of their 17 children work in the munitions factory during both World Wars. This family bravely served their country, handling high explosives to bring an end to the war,” Dickson said.
“I stand before you today, so proud of how far we’ve come, and empowered for what we will accomplish tomorrow with your help,” Dickson concluded.
The afternoon featured family activities, including free hot dogs, children’s games, and costumed interpreters at themed kiosks.
Following the tributes, attendees enjoyed local brews with a souvenir glass from Brasserie Sir John and live entertainment by Les Midnight Boppers.
Photos by Philip Oddi:
