Records of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario
In 1906, the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario was formed to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies. The scrapbook of the Hydro-Electric Commission of Ontario is an organized collection of items documenting decades of progress. The materials have been sorted into chapters and are carefully organized by the headings: Power Development, Motors, Shovels, Air Tools, Ropes and Blocks, Machine Shop Tools, Derrick Irons, Boiler, Dump Cars, Hoists, Air Compressor, Crusher, Cement Concrete, Electrical Apparatus, Miscellaneous, Turbines and Pumps Etc, Rock Crushers Etc, Loose Items.
Among the technical blueprints, plans, maps, receipts and construction images were a few photographs of some of the individuals involved in the developments. There is one particular image of 44 staff members of the Queenston Chippawa development office staff in 1921. It would be several years later before this development went into service.
Sir Adam Beck (a London, Ontario manufacturer, Mayor, and Conservative member of the provincial legislature) was a champion of municipal and provincial power ownership. Beck was given the moniker “Power Minister” and became chairman of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario which was the world’s first publicly owned utility. In 1925, the first unit of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission’s Queenston Chippawa hydro-electric development on the Niagara River went into service. In honour of Beck's innovation, the station was renamed “Sir Adam Beck #1” in 1950 which marked the 25th anniversary of Beck’s death. This is one of two generating stations in Niagara Falls, the other is Adam Beck Plant #2. The Niagara generating stations supply one quarter of all power used in New York State and Ontario. Ontario Hydro has two water tunnels that traverse the entire City of Niagara Falls from the Village of Chippawa in the South to the Sir Adam Beck Hydro Electric Generating Stations in the North.
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