La Fabrique National Historic Site of Canada

La Fabrique was designated a national historic site in 2011 for the following reasons:

• between 1897 and 1988 it housed Dominion Corset, a company that played a significant role in the clothing industry in the 20th century in Canada as one of the largest corset and undergarment manufacturers in the country;
• it represents an important period in the history of women and labour, recalling the contribution of the thousands of women who worked here and, by extension, of all the women who formed the core of the Canadian clothing industry's labour force; and,
• it is representative of the resilience and flexibility of Victorian and early 20th century industrial buildings, many of which evolved over time to changing requirements and were adapted in the late 20th century to new, non-industrial uses.

La Fabrique is valued for its significant role in Canada’s clothing industry. It began as the Argenteuil Paper Manufactory, built in 1804 by two American paper makers, Walter Ware and Benjamin Wales. By making paper from cloth rags, the mill supplied wrapping paper and newsprint largely to the Montréal market from 1805 to 1834. For much of this time it was under the control of James Brown, Montreal stationer and founder of the present “Montréal Gazette”. The mill, in the municipality of Saint-André-Est (now Saint-André-d’Argenteuil), Québec, was the first and for many years the only paper mill in what is now Canada. The origins of Canada's pulp and paper industry may be traced to its establishment. Its time as the Dominion Corset has further cemented its place in Canadian industrial history. In 1964, a modern addition was constructed in the International style. Rehabilitated and partly reconstructed in 1992-93, the building now includes an atrium and a renovated and subdivided interior.