One of Canada's most famous breweries, Molsons was founded by John Molson in 1786 in Montreal. Molson is Canada's second oldest company after the Hudson Bay Company.

In 1809, John Molson launched the second steamship in the world, it was called the Accommodation. In Quebec City, the British staff saw how useful such ships could be for rapid tranport of troops. During the War of 1812 the Swiftsure, also built by Molson, often transported soldiers between Quebec City and Montreal.