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1882
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Thomas Edison lights an incandescent lamp at his Pearl Street electricity generating station in New York City. This cogeneration plant produces both electricity for street lighting and steam for industrial use.
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1883
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An Ottawa steam-driven generating plant powers lamps in the Parliament Buildings.
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Hamilton installs Canada’s first incandescent street lights.
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The age of electricity arrives in British Columbia when the Victoria Electric Illuminating Company lights up the streets.
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Canada’s first single-phase AC generators are commissioned in Calgary by the Bow River Lumber Company and Ottawa at Chaudiere Electric.
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1891
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The Canadian Electrical Association is formed to represent the industry.
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1893
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Niagara Falls builds the world’s largest generating station.
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1898
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With money raised from investors in England, B.C. entrepreneurs set out to build the West Coast’s first hydroelectric plant near Victoria.
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1901
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Electricity trade between Canada and the United States begins.
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1909
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Calgary Power is formed. Later renamed TransAlta, the company develops into Canada’s largest investor-owned utility.
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1921
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Ontario Hydro opens the world’s largest power plant, Sir Adam Beck No. I in Niagara Falls.
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1944
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The Quebec Hydro-Electric Commission is formed by expropriating investor-owned utilities. It later becomes Hydro Québec, one of North America’s largest utilities.
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1945
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The British Columbia Power Commission is established by the provincial government.
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1960
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Canada’s first gas turbine cogeneration systems are installed by the Department of National Defence on the DEW line in northern Canada.
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1962
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Canada’s first nuclear power plant begins feeding electricity into Ontario Hydro’s grid.
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B.C. Electric and the B.C. Power commission are amalgamated to form a new Crown corporation, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority.
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1971
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The first two units of Churchill Falls hydro plant achieve full power. The first large industrial cogeneration plant is built by Dow Chemical in Sarnia, Ontario.
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1973
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The first four units of the Pickering nuclear plant are completed.
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1974
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With the addition of nine units, Churchill Falls becomes the largest hydroelectric plant worldwide.
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1974
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With the addition of nine units, Churchill Falls becomes the largest hydroelectric plant worldwide.
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1980
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Medicine Hat, Alberta, replaces coal-fired steam units with Canada’s first gas turbine, combined cycle cogeneration system.
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1984
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Nova Scotia Tidal Power Corp. builds North America’s first tidal generating station.
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1986
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Hydro-Quebec builds the Kuujjuaq Wind Turbine demonstration project.
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1993
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Cornwall Electric in Ontario installs Canada’s first municipal district energy cogeneration plant. The first wind farm, capable of generating 19 megawatts, is built at Pincher Creek, Alberta.
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1998
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Six Toronto-area utilities merge. The Toronto Hydro-Electric Commission becomes the fourth largest electrical utility in Canada and the second largest electricity distribution utility in North America.
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Alberta passes the Electric Utilities Amendment Act to begin the process of deregulation by separating the functions of generation, transmission and distribution.
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Ontario becomes the second province to support industry deregulation and passes the Energy Competition Act.
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Canadian Hydropower Association is formed.
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2001
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Alberta holds an open auction to sell Power Purchase Arrangements (PPAs) to power markets.
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2002
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In May, Ontario opens its market to wholesale and retail access.
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In December, Ontario implements a price cap on electricity rates, halting efforts to deregulate the electricity market. Transmission and distribution rates are frozen at existing levels until May 2006.
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2003
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Alberta establishes the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) to manage the competitive electricity wholesale spot market and the province’s electricity transmission system.
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2004
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Ontario passes the Electricity Restructuring Act, which empowers the Ontario Power Authority to ensure adequate long-term supply and regulate prices in consumer-oriented electricity sectors.
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