the major canadian production facility for quaker oats is located in peterborough, ontario. the factory was first established as the american cereal company in 1902 on the shores of the otonabee river during that city's period of industrialization. at the time, the city was known as "the electric city" due to its hydropower resources, attracting many companies to the site to take advantage of this source. the trent–severn waterway also promised to provide an alternate shipping route from inland areas around the city, although it appears this was never used in practice. on 11 december 1916, the factory all but completely burned to the ground. when the smoke had settled, 23 people had died and quaker was left with $2,000,000 in damages. quaker went on to rebuild the facility, incorporating the few areas of the structure that were not destroyed by fire.