Thomas Ahearn: Ottawa’s Pioneer of Electricity, Transportation, and Innovation
Section 50, Lot 123
Born in LeBreton Flats in June 1855, Thomas Ahearn was the son of an Irish blacksmith who worked on the Rideau Canal maintenance crew. From an early age, Ahearn demonstrated an innate curiosity for technology and communication. At the age of 14 or 15, he secured his first job at a branch telegraph office located in the mills near his home. He worked for barter, running messages in exchange for lessons in keying. This early exposure to telecommunications laid the foundation for his remarkable career. He soon became a skilled operator and worked in the telegraph office at the House of Commons, relaying parliamentary decisions to newspapers and officials across the country.
Ahearn briefly worked with Western Union in New York before returning to Ottawa. At the age of 25, he was appointed manager of a local telephone company. Two years later, he partnered with Warren Y. Soper, the manager of a competing telephone firm, to establish an electrical equipment company. Their first major contract involved installing telegraph equipment from coast to coast for the Canadian Pacific Railway. This successful venture led them to focus on electricity and innovation.
In 1887, Ahearn brought together a group of investors to form an electric company that revolutionized Ottawa's infrastructure by introducing the city's first electric light bulbs and street lamps. His commitment to modernization extended to public transportation. In 1891, he inaugurated Ottawa’s electric streetcar service, replacing horse-drawn trolleys with an efficient and reliable system. To address Ottawa’s harsh winters, he introduced electric heating inside streetcars and developed large rotating brushes to clear snow from the tracks. Ahearn’s company also manufactured streetcars for other cities, cementing his influence in urban development.
By diversifying his business ventures, Ahearn became Ottawa’s first millionaire outside the timber industry. He dominated the utilities sector, acquiring the Ottawa Gas Company and merging it with his enterprises to create the Ottawa Light, Heat, and Power Company. His inventive spirit extended to household appliances, as he is credited with developing one of the first electric cooking ranges, which was installed in Montreal’s Windsor Hotel. A pioneer in transportation, he was also the first person to drive an automobile in Ottawa in 1899—an electric model, naturally.
By 1900, Ahearn had become a key figure in Canadian finance and governance. He served as a director of the Bank of Canada and other leading institutions while dedicating himself to philanthropy. As chairman of the Ottawa Improvement Commission (the precursor to the National Capital Commission) from 1926 to 1932, he spearheaded the creation of Ottawa’s parkway system and personally financed the construction of the Champlain Bridge over the Ottawa River in 1928. That same year, he was appointed to the Privy Council of Canada in recognition of his contributions to national infrastructure and innovation.
Ahearn continued to embrace emerging technologies throughout his life. In 1926, he made the first telephone call between Canada and England, marking a milestone in international telecommunications. A year later, he facilitated Canada’s first national radio broadcast by establishing a network of radio transmission towers across the country.
Thomas Ahearn passed away on June 28, 1938, leaving behind a legacy of ingenuity and modernization that shaped Ottawa and beyond. His visionary work in electricity, transportation, and communications continues to be remembered as a testament to his pioneering spirit and enduring impact on Canadian society.
