Canadian inventions
Encyclopedia
As "necessity is the mother of invention", the range of Canadian inventions is a reflection of the particular circumstance of the nation: it is a large country with a need for innovation to help bridge the distance gap. Fittingly, many of her inventions have been in the fields of transportation and communications, while others reflect her position as a northern country rich in primary resources and cold weather. Numerous advances have also been achieved in devices related to improving the way these resources are developed (as in agriculture and manufacturing). But like so many inventions, many of her important achievements either built on other works or were improved by others so that precedence is sometimes difficult to pin down (see for example the light bulb). The nation's taxpayers also fund the National Research Council of Canada
(NRCC), which has been an important factor in innovation and technological advancement over several decades.
National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
(NRCC), which has been an important factor in innovation and technological advancement over several decades.
Inventions and improvements
Notable Canadian inventions and improvements to existing technologies include:Computing and Animation
- Charge coupled device was co-invented by Canadian physicist Willard BoyleWillard BoyleWillard Sterling Boyle, was a Canadian physicist and co-inventor of the charge-coupled device. On October 6, 2009, it was announced that he would share the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics for "the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit—the CCD sensor".-Life:Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, he...
and American physicist George E. SmithGeorge E. SmithGeorge Elwood Smith is an American scientist, applied physicist, and co-inventor of the charge-coupled device. He was awarded a one-quarter share in the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics for "the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit—the CCD sensor".Smith was born in White Plains, New York...
(1969). - Key Frame Animation was invented by Nestor Burtnyk and Marcelli Wein in the 1970s.
Agriculture
- CanolaCanolaCanola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or Field Mustard . Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel.Originally, Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R...
(or rapeseed) was developed by National Research Council personnel in the (1940s). - McIntosh RedMcIntoshThe McIntosh Red is an apple cultivar with red and green skin, a tart flavor, and tender white flesh. It ripens in late September....
apple was developed by John McIntosh. - Manure spreaderManure spreaderA manure spreader or muck spreader or honey wagon is an agricultural machine used to distribute manure over a field as a fertilizer. A typical manure spreader consists of a trailer towed behind a tractor with a rotating mechanism driven by the tractor's power take off...
was invented by Joseph Kemp in 1875.
Communication
- The Walkie-TalkieWalkie-talkieA walkie-talkie is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald L. Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, and engineering teams at Motorola...
was invented by Alfred J. GrossAlfred J. GrossAlfred J. Gross , a.k.a. Irving J. Gross was a pioneer in mobile wireless communication. He created and patented many communications devices, specifically in relation to an early version of the walkie-talkie, Citizens' Band radio, the telephone pager and the cordless telephone...
(1941). - The television camera was improved by F.C.P. Henroteau (1934).
- Amplitude modulationAmplitude modulationAmplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
was invented by Reginald FessendenReginald FessendenReginald Aubrey Fessenden , a naturalized American citizen born in Canada, was an inventor who performed pioneering experiments in radio, including early—and possibly the first—radio transmissions of voice and music...
in 1906. - Standard timeStandard timeStandard time is the result of synchronizing clocks in different geographical locations within a time zone to the same time rather than using the local meridian as in local mean time or solar time. Historically, this helped in the process of weather forecasting and train travel. The concept...
was introduced by Sir Sandford FlemingSandford FlemingSir Sandford Fleming, was a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and inventor, proposed worldwide standard time zones, designed Canada's first postage stamp, a huge body of surveying and map making, engineering much of the Intercolonial Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, and was a founding...
(1878). - The Cesium Beam atomic clockAtomic clockAn atomic clock is a clock that uses an electronic transition frequency in the microwave, optical, or ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum of atoms as a frequency standard for its timekeeping element...
was developed by National Research Council personnel in the 1960s. - Java programming languageJava (programming language)Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
was invented by James GoslingJames GoslingJames A. Gosling, OC is a computer scientist, best known as the father of the Java programming language.-Education and career:In 1977, Gosling received a B.Sc in Computer Science from the University of Calgary...
. - Development of the BlackBerryBlackBerryBlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
was led by Mike LazaridisMike LazaridisMihalis "Mike" Lazaridis , OC, O.Ont is a Greek Canadian businessman. He is the founder and co-CEO of Research In Motion , which created and manufactures the BlackBerry wireless handheld device. He is also a former chancellor of the University of Waterloo, and an Officer of the Order of Canada...
. - The PagerPagerA pager is a simple personal telecommunications device for short messages. A one-way numeric pager can only receive a message consisting of a few digits, typically a phone number that the user is then requested to call...
was invented by Alfred J. GrossAlfred J. GrossAlfred J. Gross , a.k.a. Irving J. Gross was a pioneer in mobile wireless communication. He created and patented many communications devices, specifically in relation to an early version of the walkie-talkie, Citizens' Band radio, the telephone pager and the cordless telephone...
in 1949. - The 56k modem56K modem56k modems are voiceband modems nominally capable of download speeds up to 56 kbit/s . In the late 1990s, they were the most popular access method for personal Internet usage, but their use had declined as broadband technologies such as DSL gained wider availability.-Speed:The 56 kbit/s...
was invented by Dr. Brent Townshend in 1996. - The TelephoneTelephoneThe telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
was invented by Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell in Brantford, Ontario - Brunton compassBrunton compassA Brunton compass, properly known as the Brunton Pocket Transit, is a type of precision compass made by Brunton, Inc. of Riverton, Wyoming. The instrument was patented in 1894 by a Canadian-born Colorado geologist named David W. Brunton. Unlike most modern compasses, the Brunton Pocket Transit...
was patented by David W. Brunton in 1894. - Radio telephony was first demonstrated by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1901. 27.
- the IMax Movie System was Co-invented by Grahame Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, and Robert Kerr in 1968.
- Fathometer an early form of sonar invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1919.
- Computerized Braille was invented by Roland Galarneau in 1972.
- Hot wire barretterHot wire barretterThe hot wire barretter was a demodulating detector, invented in 1902 by Reginald Fessenden, that found limited use in early radio receivers. In effect it was a highly sensitive thermoresistor developed to permit the reception of amplitude modulated signals, something that the coherer could not...
was invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1902.
Transportation and mobility
- The separable baggage checkBag tagBag tags, also known as baggage tags, baggage checks or luggage tickets, have traditionally been used by bus, train and airline companies to route passenger luggage that is checked on to the final destination...
was invented by John Michael Lyons in 1882. - The hydrofoilHydrofoilA hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...
boat was invented by Alexander Graham BellAlexander Graham BellAlexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
and Casey Baldwin(1908). - The term jetliner was derived from the Avro JetlinerAvro JetlinerThe Avro C102 Jetliner was a Canadian prototype medium-range jet airliner built by Avro Canada in 1949. It was beaten into the air by only 13 days by the de Havilland Comet, thereby becoming the second jet airliner in the world, yet the name "Jetliner" was more catchy and for many years all such...
designed by James C. FloydJames C. FloydJames Charles "Jim" Floyd is a Canadian aerospace engineer, born in Manchester, England. Floyd was the Avro Aircraft Ltd. chief design engineer...
in (1949). - The electric streetcarTramA tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
was improved by John Joseph Wright in (1883). - The Canadarm was developed by staff of the National Aeronautical EstablishmentNational Research Council of CanadaThe National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
(1981). - The variable pitch propellerControllable pitch propellerA controllable pitch propeller or variable pitch propeller is a type of propeller with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change their pitch...
was invented by Wallace Rupert TurnbullWallace Rupert TurnbullWallace Rupert Turnbull was a New Brunswick engineer and inventor, born on October 16, 1870 in Saint John, NB. The Saint John Airport was briefly named after him. He died November 24, 1954...
(1927). - The snowmobileSnowmobileA snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
was invented by Joseph-Armand BombardierJoseph-Armand BombardierJoseph-Armand Bombardier was a Canadian inventor and businessman, and was the founder of Bombardier...
(1937). - The Crash Position Indicator was invented by personnel of the National Research Council in the (1950s)
- The Parclo (partial cloverleaf) interchange was developed by planners at the Ontario Department of HighwaysMinistry of Transportation (Ontario)The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is the provincial ministry of the government of Ontario which is responsible for transport infrastructure and related law in Ontario. The ministry traces its roots back over a century to the 1890s, when the province began training Provincial Road Building...
(20th century) - The Uno motorcycle was invented by Ben Gulak while still a teenager in 2006.
- BixiBIXIBixi is a public bicycle sharing system developed by the Public Bike System Company , which itself was set up by the parking authority of Montréal to create a modular bicycle sharing system for Montréal....
, a public bicycle sharing system launched in Montreal in 2009. - JACO, a robotic arm for wheelchairWheelchairA wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
invented by Charles Deguire and Louis-Joseph Caron L'Écuyer from KinovaKinovaKinova is a company founded by Charles Deguire and Louis-Joseph Caron L'Écuyer. Kinova works in the domain of health care and is particularly specialized in rehabilitation engineering. Their best-known product is the robotic arm Jaco, developed to help rehabilitate people in their daily life....
. - Power Knee, a robotic leg device invented by Victhom
- TM4 MФTIVE, a lightweight magnet electric motor invented by Pierre Couture in 1982.
- The QuasiturbineQuasiturbineThe Quasiturbine or Qurbine engine is a proposed pistonless rotary engine using a rhomboidal rotor whose sides are hinged at the vertices. The volume enclosed between the sides of the rotor and the rotor casing provide compression and expansion in a fashion similar to the more familiar Wankel...
was invented in 1996. - Birch bark Canoe was invented in Canada by aboriginals.
- The [Wheelchair#Electric-powered wheelchairs|Electric wheelchair]] was invented by George Klein in 1952.
- Prosthetic Hand was invented by Helmut Lucas in 1971.
- JetlinerJetlinerJetliner are an alternative rock band from the USA. They focus on melodic piano based rock and have been compared to Queen and early Elton John, being heavily influenced by early 70s rock. Composed of Adam Paskowitz of The Flys, son of Doc Paskowitz, on piano and lead vocals, Jeff Kluesner on...
The first commercial jetliner to fly in North America was designed by James FloydJames Floyd-Career:James just filmed the lead in Sally El Hosaini's debut feature film 'My Brother The Devil' along side Saïd Taghmaoui . The World Premiere is at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival where it is in Competition....
in 1949 - Compound Steam Engine was invented by Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts in 1842.
- Electric Car Heater was invented by Thomas Ahearn in 1890.
Climate
- The snow blowerSnow blowerA snow blower or snow thrower is a machine for removing snow from an area where it is not wanted, such as a driveway, sidewalk, roadway, railroad track, rink, runway, or houses...
was invented by Arthur Sicard (1927). - The foghornFoghornA foghorn or fog signal or fog bell is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of hazards or boats of the presence of other vehicles in foggy conditions. The term is most often used in relation to marine transport...
was invented by Robert Foulis (1854). - The rotary snowplowRotary snowplowA rotary snowplow is a piece of railroad snowfighting equipment. It is characterized by the large circular set of blades on its front end that rotate as a unit to cut through the snow on the track ahead of it.-History:...
for railroads was invented by a Canadian dentist in 1869.
Defence
- The gas maskGas maskA gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word...
was improved by Cluny MacPhersonCluny MacPhersonCluny Macpherson, MD was a medical doctor and the inventor of the gas mask.During the First World War the German army used poison gas for the first time, against Allied troops at Ypres, France in 1915...
in 1915. - The G-suitG-suitA G-suit, or the more accurately named anti-G suit, is worn by aviators and astronauts who are subject to high levels of acceleration force . It is designed to prevent a black-out and G-LOC caused by the blood pooling in the lower part of the body when under acceleration, thus depriving the...
was invented by Wilbur R. FranksWilbur R. FranksWilbur Rounding Franks was a Canadian scientist, notable as the inventor of the anti-gravity suit or G-suit, and for his work in cancer research....
in 1941. - The Walkie-TalkieWalkie-talkieA walkie-talkie is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald L. Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, and engineering teams at Motorola...
was invented by Donald L. Hings and Alfred J. GrossAlfred J. GrossAlfred J. Gross , a.k.a. Irving J. Gross was a pioneer in mobile wireless communication. He created and patented many communications devices, specifically in relation to an early version of the walkie-talkie, Citizens' Band radio, the telephone pager and the cordless telephone...
in 1942 for military use. - SONARSonarSonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
was invented by Reginald FessendenReginald FessendenReginald Aubrey Fessenden , a naturalized American citizen born in Canada, was an inventor who performed pioneering experiments in radio, including early—and possibly the first—radio transmissions of voice and music...
. - ASDICSonarSonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
was invented by Robert William BoyleRobert William BoyleRobert William Boyle was a Newfoundlander physicist and one the of most important early pioneers in the development of sonar....
in 1916. - The Beartrap (helicopter device)Beartrap (helicopter device)The beartrap is the Canadian name of a device invented for smaller warships, like frigates and destroyers, that carry helicopters. While not essential to enable embarked helicopters to operate from small escort vessels, it enables them to operate in a wider range of weather conditions.In the...
was invented for the Royal Canadian NavyRoyal Canadian NavyThe history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
in the early 1960s and still in use in the 21st century by the Canadian Forces Maritime CommandCanadian Forces Maritime CommandThe Royal Canadian Navy , is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Forces. Operating 33 warships and several auxiliary vessels, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 Regular Force and 5,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by...
. - The CADPATCADPATCanadian Disruptive Pattern is the computer-generated digital camouflage pattern currently used by the Canadian Forces . CADPAT is designed to reduce the likelihood of detection by night vision devices. The basic uniform consists of a wide brim combat hat, helmet cover, shirt, jacket, trousers,...
was the first ion and passive negative ion generator uniform in the world developed in 1996.
Sport and entertainment
- Table hockey gamesTable hockey gamesA table hockey game, also called rod hockey game or board hockey, is a game for two players, derived from ice hockey. The game consists of a representation of a hockey rink; the players score goals by hitting a small puck into the opposing "net" with cutout figures that represent hockey players...
was invented by Donald Munro (1930s). - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
was invented by James NaismithJames NaismithThe first game of "Basket Ball" was played in December 1891. In a handwritten report, Naismith described the circumstances of the inaugural match; in contrast to modern basketball, the players played nine versus nine, handled a soccer ball, not a basketball, and instead of shooting at two hoops,...
(1892). - The goalie maskGoalie maskA goaltender mask, commonly referred to as a goalie mask or a hockey mask, is a mask worn by ice hockey, inline hockey, and field hockey goaltenders to protect the head from injury. Jacques Plante was the first goaltender to create and use a practical mask in 1959. Plante's mask was a piece of...
was invented by Jacques PlanteJacques PlanteJoseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947–1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey...
in 1959. - IMAXIMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
was co-invented by Roman KroitorRoman KroitorRoman Kroitor is a Canadian filmmaker who is known as an early practitioner of Cinéma vérité, as co-founder of IMAX, and as creator of the Sandde hand-drawn stereoscopic animation system...
in 1968. - DigiSyncDigiSyncDigiSync is a hardware device developed by Filmlab Systems International to allow negative cutters, telecine machines, and ColorMaster to read and log keykode data from motion picture film. It can also be used to capture KeyCode and change emulsion settings on Hollywood Film Company Color Film...
a bar-code reader used in motion picture production was invented by Mike Lazaridis (it won Emmy and Academy Awards in 1999) - Five pin bowling was invented by Thomas F. RyanThomas F. RyanThomas F. "Tommy" Ryan was a Canadian sportsman and entrepreneur who created five-pin bowling.Born in Guelph, Ontario, Ryan moved to Toronto at age 18...
in Toronto in 1909. - LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
was codified by William George BeersWilliam George BeersWilliam George Beers , a noted Canadian dentist and patriot, is referred to as the "father of modern lacrosse" for his work establishing the first set of playing rules for the game.-Lacrosse:...
around 1860. - Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
was invented in Windsor, Nova Scotia. The life long dispute has been made official. - Instant ReplayInstant ReplayInstant replay is the process of replaying previously occurred events through the use of video technology.Instant replay may also refer to:*Instant replay in American football*Instant Replay , 1969...
was invented by CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada in 1955. - AbdomenizerAbdomenizerThe Abdomenizer was an abdominal exerciser invented in 1984 by Canadian chiropractor Dennis Colonello and marketed through infomercials by the Fitness Quest corporation of Canton, Ohio. It was an almost flat, saddle-like piece of thermoformed plastic, about 2 by 3 feet, with handles and a...
was invented by Dennis Colonello in 1984. - Trivial PursuitTrivial PursuitTrivial Pursuit is a board game in which progress is determined by a player's ability to answer general knowledge and popular culture questions. The game was created in 1979 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, by Canadian Chris Haney, a photo editor for Montreal's The Gazette and Scott Abbott, a sports...
was invented by Chris HaneyChris HaneyChristopher Deane Haney is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1991–2000 and in 2002 for the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. In 2001, he played in Japan for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. Haney gave up...
and Scott AbbottScott AbbottCharles Scott Abbott is the co-inventor of Trivial Pursuit along with Chris Haney.Known as "Scott," he was the owner of the Brampton Battalion hockey team, of the Ontario Hockey League...
in 1979.
Science and Medicine
- InsulinInsulinInsulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
(as a diabetes treatment) was invented by Frederick BantingFrederick BantingSir Frederick Grant Banting, KBE, MC, FRS, FRSC was a Canadian medical scientist, doctor and Nobel laureate noted as one of the main discoverers of insulin....
, Charles Best and James CollipJames CollipJames Bertram Collip, Ph.D. was part of the Toronto group which isolated insulin. He served as the Chair of the Department of Biochemistry at McGill University from 1928-1941 and Dean of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario from 1947-1961, where he was a charter member of The Kappa Alpha...
(1922) - Cobalt-60 “Bomb” Cancer Treatment was invented by Harold Johns in 1951.
- Electron MicroscopeElectron microscopeAn electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
was invented by James Hillier and Arthur Prebus in 1939. - Explosives Vapour Detector was invented by Lorne Elias in 1985.
- BromineBromineBromine ") is a chemical element with the symbol Br, an atomic number of 35, and an atomic mass of 79.904. It is in the halogen element group. The element was isolated independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig and Antoine Jerome Balard, in 1825–1826...
A process to extract was invented by Herbert Henry DowHerbert Henry DowHerbert Henry Dow was a Canadian born, American chemical industrialist. He is a graduate of Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, Ohio. His most significant achievement was the founding of the Dow Chemical Company in 1897...
in 1890. - Bone Marrow Compatibility Test was invented by Barbara Bain in 1960.
- Calcium CarbideCalcium carbidethumb|right|Calcium carbide.Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of CaC2. The pure material is colorless, however pieces of technical grade calcium carbide are grey or brown and consist of only 80-85% of CaC2 . Because of presence of PH3, NH3, and H2S it has a...
Thomas WillsonThomas WillsonThomas Leopold "Carbide" Willson was a Canadian inventor.He was born on a farm near Princeton, Ontario in 1860 and went to school in Hamilton, Ontario. By the age of 21, he had designed and patented the first electric arc lamps used in Hamilton...
invented a process for Calcium Carbide in 1892. - AcetyleneAcetyleneAcetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
Thomas L. Wilson invented the production process in 1892.
Domestic life
- PablumPablumPablum is a processed cereal for infants originally marketed by the Mead Johnson Company in 1931. The trademarked name is a contracted form of the Latin word pabulum, meaning "foodstuff", which had long been used in botany and medicine to refer to nutrition, or substances of which the nutritive...
was invented by Frederick Tisdall, Theodore DrakeTheodore DrakeTheodore G.H. Drake, MD was a Canadian pediatrician and one of three doctors that developed Pablum.-Early life:Drake was born on September 16, 1891 in Webbwood, Ontario. He obtained his university degree from the University of Toronto in 1914. He spent two years in residence at the Toronto General...
, and Allan Brown in 1930. - Plexiglas was invented by William Chalmers while a graduate student at McGill University in 1931.
- Easy-Off Oven Cleaner was invented by Herbert McCool in Regina in 1932.
- The garbage bag was invented by Harry WasylykHarry WasylykHarry Wasylyk was a Canadian inventor from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who together with Larry Hansen of Lindsay, Ontario, invented the disposable green polyethylene garbage bag in 1950. Garbage bags were first intended for commercial use rather than home use - the bags were first sold to the Winnipeg...
, 1950. - The jolly jumper was invented by Olivia PooleOlivia PooleSusan Olivia Poole grew up in Minnesota at the White Earth Indian Reserve.-Biography:Susan Olivia Poole, a.k.a. Olivia was born in 1889 and died in 1975...
in 1959. - Caesar (cocktail)Caesar (cocktail)A Caesar or Bloody Caesar is a cocktail created and primarily consumed in Canada. It typically contains vodka, Clamato , hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and is served with ice in a large, celery salt-rimmed glass, typically garnished with a stalk of celery and wedge of lime.It was invented in...
, introduced in Calgary in 1969. - Bi-pin connector was invented by Reginald FessendenReginald FessendenReginald Aubrey Fessenden , a naturalized American citizen born in Canada, was an inventor who performed pioneering experiments in radio, including early—and possibly the first—radio transmissions of voice and music...
in 1893. - WonderbraWonderbraThe Wonderbra is a type of push-up underwire brassiere that gained worldwide prominence in the 1990s. Although the Wonderbra name was first trademarked in the U.S. in 1935, the brand was developed in Canada. Moses Nadler, founder and majority owner of the Canadian Lady Corset Company, licensed the...
was invented by Louise Poirier. - cardiac pacemakerCardiac pacemakerright|thumb|350px|Image showing the cardiac pacemaker which is the SA nodeThe contraction of heart muscle in all animals with hearts is initiated by chemical impulses. The rate at which these impulses fire controls the heart rate...
was invented by John Hopps. - Alkaline batteryAlkaline batteryAlkaline batteries are a type of primary batteries dependent upon the reaction between zinc and manganese dioxide . A rechargeable alkaline battery allows reuse of specially designed cells....
was invented by Lewis UrryLewis UrryLewis Frederick Urry, , was a Canadian chemical engineer and inventor. He invented both the alkaline battery and lithium battery while working for the Eveready Battery company....
in 1954. - Ardox Spiral Nail was invented by Allan Dove.
- Automatic Lubricating Cup was invented by Elijah McCoy in 1872.
- Caulking gun was invented by Theodore Witte in 1894.
- Electric Oven was invented by Thomas Ahearn in 1882.
- KeroseneKeroseneKerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
was invented by Doctor Abraham Gesner in 1846. - WEEVAC 6 was invented by Wendy Murphy.
Tools and manufacturing
- A process for distilling KeroseneKeroseneKerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
was invented by Abraham Gesner. - A process for making pulped wood paperWood pulpPulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
was invented by Charles FenertyCharles FenertyCharles Fenerty , is a Canadian inventor who invented the wood pulp process for papermaking, which was first adapted into the production of newsprint. Fenerty was also a poet... - The paint rollerPaint rollerA paint roller is a paint application tool used for painting large flat surfaces rapidly and efficiently.A paint roller typically consists of two parts: a "roller frame," and a "roller cover." The roller cover absorbs the paint and transfers it to the painted surface. The roller frame attaches to...
was invented by Norman James Breakey. - The Robertson screw was invented by P.L. Robertson
- The rotary vane pumpRotary vane pumpA rotary vane pump is a positive-displacement pump that consists of vanes mounted to a rotor that rotates inside of a cavity. In some cases these vanes can be variable length and/or tensioned to maintain contact with the walls as the pump rotates. It was invented by Charles C...
was invented by Charles Barnes.
Food
- PoutinePoutinePoutine is a Canadian dish of French fries and fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy or sauce. Sometimes additional ingredients are added.Poutine is a fast food dish that originated in Quebec and can now be found across Canada...
- Nanaimo BarNanaimo barThe Nanaimo bar is a dessert of Canadian origin popular across North America. The Nanaimo bar is a bar cookie which requires no baking, and is named after the West-Coast city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. It consists of a wafer crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light vanilla or custard...
- Butter Tarts
- Peanut butterPeanut butterPeanut butter is a food paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanuts, popular in North America, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and parts of Asia, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia. It is mainly used as a sandwich spread, sometimes in combination as in the peanut butter and jelly...
was first patented by Marcellus Gilmore EdsonMarcellus Gilmore EdsonMarcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal, Quebec was the first person to patent peanut butter. Edson, a physician developed the idea of packaging peanut paste for people with bad teeth...
in 1884. - Instant mashed potatoes were invented by Edward Asselbergs in 1962.
- PablumPablumPablum is a processed cereal for infants originally marketed by the Mead Johnson Company in 1931. The trademarked name is a contracted form of the Latin word pabulum, meaning "foodstuff", which had long been used in botany and medicine to refer to nutrition, or substances of which the nutritive...
was invented by Canadian doctors Frederick TisdallFrederick TisdallDr.Frederick Tisdall was one of three Canadian pediatricians who developed the infant cereal Pablum. He first started working at The Hospital for Sick Children in 1921. In 1929,at the age of 36, he was made Director of the Nutritional Research Laboratories...
, Theodore DrakeTheodore DrakeTheodore G.H. Drake, MD was a Canadian pediatrician and one of three doctors that developed Pablum.-Early life:Drake was born on September 16, 1891 in Webbwood, Ontario. He obtained his university degree from the University of Toronto in 1914. He spent two years in residence at the Toronto General...
, and Alan Brown in 1930. - Marquis wheatWheatWheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
was invented by Charles E. SaundersCharles E. SaundersSir Charles Edward Saunders, FRSC was a Canadian agronomist. He was the inventor of Marquis Wheat....
. - Canada Dry Ginger Ale was invented by John A. McLaughlin in 1907.
See also
- :Category:Canadian inventors
- The Greatest Canadian InventionThe Greatest Canadian InventionThe Greatest Canadian Invention is a television mini-series originally aired on CBC Television. It is a spiritual sequel to The Greatest Canadian....
. - Science and technology in CanadaScience and technology in CanadaScience and technology in Canada consists of three distinct but closely related phenomena:* the diffusion of technology in Canada,* scientific research in Canada* innovation, invention and industrial research in Canada...