On the way home from class at night, U of T students may notice the gorgeous glow of the city lights and wonder how the city gets its electricity. What started as an idea to use water from the Niagara River to generate power transformed into one of the most defining moments in Canadian history — the beginning of electrifying Ontario. Students and staff at U of T may be surprised to find some connections between the university and the historic transformation.

Sir Adam Beck 

Ontario Hydro was established in 1906 as the Hydro-Electric Power Commission. The first commissioners were Sir Adam Beck, John S. Hendrie, and Cecil B. Smith. Beck was the mayor of London, Ontario, advocating — under the Provincial Conservative Party — for free electricity. During his 1905 electoral campaign, he stated, “Water power of Niagara should be free.” 

After the party won, Premier James Whitney reduced private electricity franchising and invited Beck into his government, naming him the chairman of the Ontario Hydro Electric Power Commission. As the chairman, he commissioned a 110,000-volt transmission line from Niagara to Toronto, which opened in 1910. 

The transmission line was impactful for Canada’s future, as it was the first publicly owned line from Niagara to Toronto. The success of the line meant that privately owned transmission lines became obsolete, including the Electric Development Company’s transmission line. 

After being knighted by Britain for his work with the Commonwealth of Canada, Beck created the Queenston-Chippawa power project. He planned to build a publicly owned hydroelectric generating station to utilize the Niagara River. He realized that the waterway between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie drops 99 metres. The descent means that every cubic foot of water equals 29.6 horsepower of energy per second, or three times faster than the private generating station of the falls. 

The project — now known as the Sir Adam Beck Station #1 — is still in use today. Hendrie was also a part of the Provincial Conservative Party as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1902–1914, when he served as hydro-electric commissioner. Smith was a prominent Canadian engineer advocating the hydro-electric advantages, particularly in snowy conditions. 

In 1911, Beck launched publicly owned electricity distributed by the Toronto Hydro-Electric System. Today, Toronto Hydro powers over 796,000 homes in the City, or 18 per cent of the total electricity used in Ontario. 

All of these advances trace back to Niagara Falls, whose unique geography made large-scale hydroelectric power possible. To understand the power of Niagara Falls, a brief timeline helps illustrate electrical beginnings. 

Canada goes electric with Niagara Falls

To bring light to the country, electrical companies began building hydroelectric stations in Ontario. The companies were incredibly successful and distributed power all across the province. In Niagara, three generating stations were built by three different companies between 1905–1906. The Ontario Power Company built the Ontario Power Company Generating Station, the Canadian Niagara Power Company built the Rankine Power Generating Station, and the Electrical Development Company built the Toronto Power Generating Station (TPGS). 

The architect for the TPGS, Edward James Lennox, also designed the home of Henry Pellatt, Casa Loma. For context, the Sir Adam Beck Station wouldn’t open until 1922, when generator units 1, 2, and 4 were officially in service. 

To generate power, the TGPS in Niagara had a long outlet tunnel running under the falls. The tunnel, which is 10 by 610 meters long, was the biggest of its kind. 

With the power from the falls, the station operated 11 turbines, each producing over 11,000 horsepower. With all 11 turbines, the total power exceeded 131,420 horsepower. With the help of Ontario Hydro, upgrades to each turbine could produce over 12,500 horsepower, which equals over 137,000 horsepower. 

In 1908, two years after the Toronto Power Generating Station opened, the City of Toronto’s engineering department, the Toronto Hydro-Electric System (THES), began construction of an electrical substation to transmit power to Torontonians’ homes. Substations serve as transmitters, transforming high-voltage electricity from power-generating stations into low-voltage electricity to power homes. 

At the same time, the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario (HEPCO) started transmitting power from Niagara to Toronto through transmission lines. In 1911, these power lines became provincially controlled.

To commemorate the important moment of bringing light to the City, Toronto Hydro had an inauguration at the turning-on ceremony on May 2, 1911. The commemorative moment was a way for politicians to publicly acknowledge the successful efforts of bringing electricity to Toronto. After speeches, Beck pressed a button commemorating the beginning of electricity in Toronto, where a huge light display of Niagara Falls greeted visitors at the main entrance of City Hall.

Following the success of bringing electricity to Toronto, Beck saw the potential to expand hydroelectric power beyond city limits. He decided to bring electricity to rural communities. 

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at U of T houses a special interview with Beck from 1919. The work can be found in the Rare Books Collection under brc 0043 and Rural Electrification – Ontario. 

In the interview, he explained, “Although the use of electricity on the farm is only in its infancy, it is bound soon to become a necessary and common accessory to successful farming throughout Ontario. The rising cost of coal, gasoline and labour on the farm is causing, and will continue to cause, a constant increasing demand for electric power. The great advantages of electricity on the farm and in the household are fully appreciated by farmers.” 

He mentioned that, “Requests for information and applications for hydro-electric power from rural communities are coming to the [Hydro-electric Power] Commission constantly. Farmers are carrying by-laws practically unanimously in the rural districts, just as has been done in towns and cities. Pickering township carried the by-law by a vote of 11-1.” He further explained the many household benefits and significant cost reduction, compared to the predecessor in coal, stating that he expects to see it used province-wide.

Toronto recognized the electrification of city life at Casa Loma with the Powering Progress: Toronto’s Electric Revolution exhibit. The opulent backdrop served as the home to Sir Henry Pellatt, the president and founder of the Toronto Electric Light Company. The company supplied street lighting to the City of Toronto. 

As a major philanthropist, in 1900, Sir Henry Pellatt was appointed to the endowment and finances board at Trinity College located at U of T’s St. George Campus, where he served as the board treasurer. In 1902, he won the rights to build the first Canadian hydro-generating plant in Niagara Falls.

For those interested in learning more about hydroelectric power, the Power of Water Canada Technical Conference 2026 — happening from May 6–8 at Niagara-on-the-Lake — provides further insights about the future of waterpower with keynote speakers, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and a trade show.