Walter Canada Ltd was a Canadian truck and fire apparatus manufacturer.
History[]
In 1932, the Walter Motor Truck Company established a Canadian division in Toronto, Ontario to provide sales and service support to its Canadian customers. This division began to manufacture trucks in 1957.
In 1968, Walter Motor Trucks of Canada Ltd. was established as an independent Canadian-owned company. The new company maintained connections to its one-time parent utilizing many parts and designs sourced from the Walter Motor Truck Company.
In 1980, the company moved to a new facility in Montreal, Quebec and was restructured, becoming Walter Canada Inc. Later that year, the American, Walter Motor Truck Company went out of business and its assets were purchased by Walter Canada Inc. In 1981, further reorganization resulted in a name change to Walter Canada Ltd. A new U.S. subsidiary, Walter Equipment USA, was then established to cover the U.S. market.
In 1985, Walter Canada Ltd. went out of business. A major shareholder in Walter Canada acquired the remaining assets and established a new company Waltek. Walter Equipment USA was sold, becoming the Walter Truck Corporation.
Production[]
Walter Canada and its successor built custom ARFF trucks for airports across Canada and for the Department of National Defence.
Sources[]
- Simiele, Mark Walter 100% Traction; The History of the Empire State's Specialty Truck Manufacturer. Franklin, NJ: Contemporary Color, 2000.
- McCall, Walter M.P. Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Fire Engine Manufacturers. Hudson, WI: Iconografix, 2007.