Imperial Munitions Board

Article by

D.J. Bercuson

Published Online	February 7, 2006
Last Edited	March 23, 2022

Imperial Munitions Board, established November 1915 in Canada by the British Ministry of Munitions, with Canadian government approval. Headed by J.W. Flavelle, a prominent Toronto businessman, the board was responsible for letting contracts on behalf of the British government for the construction of war materials in Canada.

J.W. Flavelle, businessman

Flavelle rose from humble origins to become one of Canada's most able and influential businessmen (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-23692).

It began to establish "national factories," which it owned outright, to produce munitions that private manufacturers were unable to turn out. Under IMB direction Canada produced a wide variety of war materiel including shells, ships, explosives and training planes. The IMB was dissolved in 1919.