History of the IEEE Toronto Section
The IEEE Toronto Section was formed on September 30, 1903 as a section of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE). It was the first such section formed outside the United States. This was 18 years after Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell formed the AIEE, 6 years after the formation of the Canadian Society of Civil (non-military) Engineers – to become the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) in 1912, and 9 years before the formation of the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE). The Canadian Section of the IRE was formed in Toronto in 1925. The AIEE and IRE merged in 1963 to create IEEE, and IEEE Canada was created in 1994 with ties to both IEEE and EIC. Before 1912, the formation of IRE, local entities were creatures of the AIEE.
The Royal York Hotel in 1930 when the AIEE Summer Convention was held in Toronto – program [8-page PDF]
Photos from Program: 220 kV Line Approaching Toronto, Night View of Leaside Station, Queenston Power House, Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, Leaside Station – 25,000 kVA Outdoor Condensers, Welland Canal Lift Bridge, Masrcury Arc Rectifier Installation, Toronto Hydro-Electric System
Acknowledgements
- These history web pages of the IEEE Toronto Section are the result of the work of:
- Bruno Di Stefano, b.distefano@ieee.org who collected most of the currently available material, validated some of the information, corrected other, and acted as a primary source;
- Bob Alden, r.alden@ieee.org who organized for the web all material, validated some of the information, corrected other material, provided plausible interpretations, and acted as a primary source;
- Wallas Khella, wkhella@ieee.org who acted as a primary source;
- Cathie Lowell, admin@ieee.ca who helped Bruno in gathering information from IEEE headquarters; and
- Kathy Kowalenko (Editor, “The Institute”), Tracy Hawkins (Manager Of IEEE Section-Chapter Support), and Rob Colburn (IEEE History Center), who helped Bruno in gathering information at IEEE headquarters.
- Mary Ann Hoffman (Archival & Web Services Manager, IEEE History Center).
