During the 1950s, the OJC, under the leadership of Canadian industrialist and horse breeder E. P. Taylor began a program of racetrack acquisitions aimed at becoming the biggest and most profitable operator in Ontario horse racing, similar to Taylor's earlier acquisitions and consolidations in the Canadian brewing industry. In 1952, the OJC purchased and closed the money-losing Thorncliffe Park, purchased and closed the Hamilton Racetrack, and purchased the Fort Erie Racetrack for . Renovations began immediately at Fort Erie and at Woodbine, financed by a public offering of stock for . In 1953, the OJC bought Stamford Park in Belleville. It was closed and redeveloped. In 1955, Taylor himself purchased the competing Orpen-owned Dufferin Park Racetrack and Long Branch Racetracks for million ($ in dollars). The Orpen tracks were closed and redeveloped and the Orpen race charters transferred to the OJC. The OJC continued the Canadian International and Cup and Saucer stakes races that had been held at the Orpen tracks. The racing charters acquired from the other tracks enabled the OJC to run 196 days of racing, more than double its allowed total of 84 days in 1952.