Windsor, Ontario Streetcar System

Windsor, Ontario was the first Canadian city with an electric street car system, which was introduced in 1886.

The streetcar system adopted by the city of Windsor and surrounding towns was developed by Charles J.

[6] Van Depoele had immigrated to Detroit, Michigan from Belgium in 1874 to develop his electric system.

[7] Van Depoele's electric streetcar first ran in Windsor on June 6, 1886, servicing the small town nestled south of the Detroit River.

[6] Although initially the track spanned only a small portion of Windsor along the Windsor-Detroit waterfront on Riverside Drive, the S.W.& A.R.

Population was expanding in these areas largely due to the introduction of big industries in Windsor.

Walkerville began expanding due to the Hiram Walker distillery and East Windsor because of the introduction of a Ford Factory in 1904.

[7] The electric streetcar system provided an extensive and effective mode of transportation to the citizens of Windsor until the 1930s, when the Great Depression left the world in financial turmoil.

Recently, additional rails have been dug up at the intersection of Riverside and University streets, during the construction of a monument of Chief Tecumseh.

The streetcar system’s carhouse, on University Avenue, where vehicles were produced, stored and maintained, was to be converted into a restaurant as of 2015.