Joseph Gibbons (Toronto)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Gibbons was a municipal politician in Toronto
, Canada
. He was born on a farm outside of Waterloo, Ontario
and moved to Toronto in the 1890s. There he found worked as a streetcar driver. He first piloted the horse drawn streetcars up Yonge Street
and then served for fifteen years as a driver on the Belt Line. He became active in the driver's union, rising to a leadership position.
He was elected to Toronto City Council
, and served there for four years before being elected to the powerful Board of Control
. On council he was the foremost representative of organized labour in city politics. His main campaign was for public ownership of utilities. He was central to the creation of the Toronto Transit Commission
, bringing the previously privately owned streetcars under city control. He was a close friend of Adam Beck
, and worked with him to bring publicly run electricity to the province. He was also a Catholic, and long the only Catholic member of the Board of Control. He was able to win significant support from Protestants over his career, a rare event in the sectarian politics of the staunchly Protestant city.
He served on the Board of Control for ten years until 1929 when he resigned to be appointed a Toronto Hydro
commissioner. He served on the commission until his death in 1946.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was born on a farm outside of Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
and moved to Toronto in the 1890s. There he found worked as a streetcar driver. He first piloted the horse drawn streetcars up Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and then served for fifteen years as a driver on the Belt Line. He became active in the driver's union, rising to a leadership position.
He was elected to Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
, and served there for four years before being elected to the powerful Board of Control
Toronto Board of Control
Toronto Board of Control was a part of the municipal government of Toronto, Canada from 1904 until its abolition in 1969 and served as the executive committee of Toronto City Council. It consisted of four councillors elected city wide and was presided over by the mayor. Each voter could vote for up...
. On council he was the foremost representative of organized labour in city politics. His main campaign was for public ownership of utilities. He was central to the creation of the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
, bringing the previously privately owned streetcars under city control. He was a close friend of Adam Beck
Adam Beck
Sir Adam Beck was a politician and hydroelectricity advocate who founded the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario.-Biography:...
, and worked with him to bring publicly run electricity to the province. He was also a Catholic, and long the only Catholic member of the Board of Control. He was able to win significant support from Protestants over his career, a rare event in the sectarian politics of the staunchly Protestant city.
He served on the Board of Control for ten years until 1929 when he resigned to be appointed a Toronto Hydro
Toronto Hydro
The Toronto Hydro-Electric System is the local distributor of electric power in the City of Toronto. In 2005 the utility served a peak load of over 5,000 MW and had nearly 600,000 residential and 70,000 commercial and industrial customers, and had around 1,600 employees. In 2005 the corporation...
commissioner. He served on the commission until his death in 1946.