A Timeline of Innovation - in Durham Region
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A Timeline of Innovation
in Durham Region
Here in Durham Region, we’re not just innovating; we’re innovating to solve big problems.
We’re focused on solving some of the
world’s biggest challenges, and building
a robust innovation ecosystem that
translates research and development
assets into jobs and investment.
The world needs products, services and business models that will
create value in new ways, while reducing social and environmental
impacts. This change won’t be driven by a few heroic entrepreneurs
or innovative geniuses, nor will it be driven solely by investors.
It will take all of these players, and more, working together.
Durham Region’s foundation of solving important challenges began
with early settlement, as immigrants founded local businesses
that would grow to be some of the largest and most successful.
Since 1864, when Robert McLaughlin started his journey to transform
human mobility, businesses in Durham have committed to improve
lives—not just for local residents—but also for the world.
Today, by supporting innovators in everything from artificial
intelligence to electric and autonomous mobility, and from clean tech
to agri-tech, life sciences, health, and creative industries, our business
ecosystem is evolving so that Durham’s innovators continue to lead
global solutions.
We’re confident our innovation community will continue to change
the world.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 3
1864
McLaughlin Carriage Co.
Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin
settles in Darlington Township (now
known as Clarington), and launches a
business manufacturing horse-drawn
sleighs and carriages. By the turn of
the century, his Oshawa facility is
one of the largest carriage factories
in the world.
Image courtesy of Oshawa Public Libraries,
Local History Collection.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 4
1866 1884 1892
Newcastle Foundry and The Holstein Association of Pedlar Metal Roofing
Machine Manufactory Canada Company
Daniel Massey establishes the The Holstein Association of George Pedlar expands his
Newcastle Foundry and Machine Canada is founded locally. Members father’s hardware and metal
Manufactory, and in 1866, Hart include legendary operations stamping business to become the
Massey appears at the International such as Roybrook in Whitby and Pedlar Metal Roofing Company,
Exposition in Paris, France, where Hannover Hill in Scugog; farms based in Oshawa. The operation
he wins first place honours for the that have made a lasting impact on became the largest sheet metal
Massey Self Binder—which cut a dairy farming around the globe. factory in the British Empire,
section of oats in 55 minutes. The with warehouses in Montreal,
company went on to become the Winnipeg and Calgary, Sydney,
largest manufacturer of agricultural Australia, Auckland, New Zealand
implements in the British Empire, and Cape Town, South Africa.
now known as Massey Ferguson. Image courtesy of Oshawa Public Libraries,
Local History Collection.
Image courtesy of the Newcastle Village and
District Historical Society Archives.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 5
1892 1894 1904
Schofield Woolen Mills The Oshawa Railway Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale
Schofield Woolen Mills is established Construction begins on the Oshawa Robert McLaughlin’s eldest son, John
in Oshawa. Nationally recognized Railway to connect the Grand Trunk J. McLaughlin of Enniskillen, creates
for exceptional quality, Schofield line at Oshawa’s northern end Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale. The
innovative woolen products were with the port. By 1911, the railway company quickly expanded to become
found in nearly every town and city offered passenger, express and worldwide by the 1930s. Canada Dry
in Canada for the next 50 years. freight service to every part of is still popular today and produced in
Image courtesy of The Thomas Bouckley town, and was a primary feature countries around the globe.
Collection, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, in promoting the businesses and
Oshawa.
“natural advantages and resources of
Oshawa” to prospective investors.
Image courtesy of Oshawa Public Libraries,
Local History Collection.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 6
1907 1918 1940s
McLaughlin Motor Car General Motors of Canada The Rockex
Company
Sam and George McLaughlin Professor and electrical engineer,
Robert McLaughlin & Sons rebrands become the first executives of Benjamin deForest “Pat” Bayly,
as McLaughlin Motor Car Company, General Motors of Canada, after invents an offline one-time tape
eventually selling the carriage the merging of their company cipher machine called the Rockex
business to make way for automobile McLaughlin Motor Car Company at the secret military intelligence
production at their Oshawa plant. with Chevrolet and General base Camp X, located between
Image courtesy of The Thomas Bouckley
Motors. General Motors of Whitby and Oshawa. The Rockex
Collection, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Canada built their first offices on was a solution to slower existing
Oshawa.
Richmond street in Oshawa. equipment, and handled transatlantic
Image courtesy of The Thomas Bouckley communications quickly and
Collection, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, securely during World War II.
Oshawa.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 7
1941 1960 1967
Defence Industries Limited The Oshawa Harbour Durham College is Founded
Commission is Formed
The largest shell-filling plant in the Durham College has become
British Commonwealth, Defence The port is the only seaway- known as a leading post-secondary
Industries Limited, is established depth harbour on Lake Ontario destination and was named one of
in Ajax to provide supplies for between Toronto and Montreal. On Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges
the Allies in World War II. More average, Oshawa’s port handles for six straight years, from 2012 to
than 2,300 women from across $23 million dollars worth of cargo 2018. Today, Durham College enrolls
Canada worked in the munition annually, from salt and steel more than 13,000 full-time students,
factory. The contributions of products to asphalt and grain. including 1,900 international
women at this Ajax facility later Image courtesy of The Thomas Bouckley
students from 75 countries.
inspired the award-winning Collection, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery,
Oshawa.
television series “Bomb Girls”.
Image courtesy of The Town of Ajax
– Ajax Archives.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 8
1971 1974 1978
Pickering Nuclear Generating The Region of Durham Pre-hospital Cardiac Care
Station Services in Oshawa
The Region of Durham is established.
The Nuclear Generating Station It is one of several new regional Oshawa becomes the first city in
in Pickering begins operations, governments in the Province of Ontario to provide pre-hospital
starting the facility’s run as Ontario, and includes the cities of cardiac care services. The program
one of the largest and safest Oshawa and Pickering, towns of allowed paramedics to obtain
nuclear stations in the world. Ajax and Whitby, the municipality of faster diagnoses in the field, and
Image courtesy of Keith Beaty/Toronto Star
Clarington, and townships of Brock, prepared emergency staff at the
via Getty Images. Scugog and Uxbridge. hospital to respond—ultimately
saving more patients and reducing
the impacts of heart attacks.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 9
1980s 1986 1988
Northern Dancer CANDU Reactor Colpitts Design Inc.
Edward Plunket Taylor, a The CANDU reactor proven at Colpitts Design Inc. is founded
businessman, philanthropist and Ontario Power Generation’s Pickering in Uxbridge. The company
race horse breeder, produces and Darlington Nuclear Generating specializes in rapid prototype
Northern Dancer at Windfields Farm Stations is listed as one of Canada’s design and manufacturing; building
in Oshawa. By the 1980s, Northern top ten engineering achievements products for the medical, garden,
Dancer was the first Canadian bred of the previous 100 years by a jury of automotive and film industries.
horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Canadian engineering professionals. Today Colpitts Design works
the first animal to be inducted into Image courtesy of Frank Lennon/Toronto Star with Ontario Tech University’s
the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, via Getty Images. automotive program and creates
and was the most sought-after sire in props for Hollywood blockbusters.
the world. Today, nearly every horse Credits include work for films such
competing in the Kentucky Derby is as X-Men, Robocop, Batman vs
a descendant of Northern Dancer. Superman and Suicide Squad.
Image courtesy of Tony Leonard,
Canadian Museum of History.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 101988 1998 1998
Fly Away Home Omachron Group of Lakeridge Health
Companies
William “Bill” Lishman, an award- Lakeridge Health is formed when
winning sculptor, filmmaker, Wayne Conrad, a scientist based in Durham-area hospitals are merged
inventor, naturalist and public rural Clarington, founds Omachron to create a leading health system
speaker, pioneers ultra-light Group of Companies. Today, Conrad focused on improving the overall
aviation in Canada, becoming the holds close to 600 patents, including wellness of one of fastest growing
first person to lead the flight of a space-age water treatment areas of Ontario. Today, Lakeridge
geese with an aircraft, eventually system that NASA adopted for the Health has five hospitals, four
conducting the first aircraft-led International Space Station. Emergency Departments, and more
migration of birds from his home Image courtesy of NASA/Roscosmo.
than twenty community healthcare
in rural Scugog in 1993. He made locations, a dedicated team of
a short film about the migration more than 5,400 employees, 760
for PBS Television Network physicians and 1,500 volunteers.
that was eventually optioned
for the 1996 Academy Award
winning film, Fly Away Home.
Image courtesy of the Lishman family.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 112003 2006 2010
Ontario Tech University Search Engine People (SEP) The Clean Energy Research
Laboratory (CERL)
Ontario Tech University opens its After launching in 2001 with a focus
doors as Ontario’s first laptop- on Search Engine Optimization, in The Clean Energy Research
based university, and has continued 2006 the Search Engine People (SEP) Laboratory (CERL) opens at Ontario
to evolve into a tech-focused become a full-service agency and Tech University. CERL houses the first
institution that embeds the latest are named the first-ever Canadian lab-scale demonstration of a copper-
technology into its teaching and Partner in the Google Partner chlorine cycle for thermochemical
learning practices, administrative Program. Today SEP is recognized water splitting and nuclear hydrogen
processes and innovative research as one of the best SEO and digital production. Hydrogen is a clean
projects. Today, Ontario Tech is marketing companies in Canada. energy carrier of the future and
ranked first in Canada in cross-sector Founder Jeff Quipp eventually potentially a major solution to the
research among undergraduate became a founding board member problem of climate change.
universities, and draws in more than of the Spark Angel Network, an
10,000 full-time students, including angel investing group focused on
more than 1000 international tech start-ups in Durham Region.
students from 65 countries. Image courtesy of Search Engine People.
Image courtesy of Ontario Tech University.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 122010 2010 2011
Trent University Durham GTA Spark Centre ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel
Trent University opens a campus The Spark Centre is founded The state-of-the-art ACE Climatic
on Thornton Road in Oshawa, in 2010, and in 2012, Durham’s Wind Tunnel is operational. The
building upon forty years of Trent Regional Innovation Centre locates world-class facility, which can
education programs available in downtown Oshawa. Spark Centre simulate weather from a blizzard to
in Durham Region. Today, Trent supports start-ups by providing a hot day in Arizona, is used by big
University Durham GTA offers commercialization and services automakers to test vehicles. With
undergraduate degrees, masters to innovative and technology- its moving ground plane, it is one of
degrees and post-graduate based entrepreneurs. By 2019, the most technologically advanced
programs to nearly 2,000 students. Spark grows into a 9000-square facilities of its kind in the world. ACE
foot innovation space and begins is also able to simulate a broad range
graduating clients to the new 1855 of environments, and testing has
tech accelerator in Whitby. included housing, bridges, product
Image courtesy of Spark Centre. packaging and even athletes.
Image courtesy of ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel
ace.ontariotechu.ca
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 132013
W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF)
Durham College opens the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF) in Whitby,
one of Canada’s first culinary education facilities to bring the concept of
“Field to Fork” to life. CFF is focused on local food, regionalism, sustainability
and wellness, and it plays a leading role in providing students with hands-on
experience of the full cycle of production: farming, preparing, serving and
celebrating food.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 142013 2016 2017
ByBlacks.com Darlington Nuclear Durham College AI/Hub
Generating Station
ByBlacks.com, the top-ranked Durham College launches
Black Canadian online magazine is The World Association of Nuclear the AI/Hub, a first-of-its-kind
founded, and in 2020, they receive Operators names Darlington applied research centre focused on
a Heritage Canada grant to grow Nuclear Generating Station in how “narrow AI”—such as machine
their business. The website promotes Clarington one of the safest and top learning, decision support, natural
Black Canadian entrepreneurs and performing nuclear stations in the language processing and automation
serves as a hub where viewers world—for the third time in a row. to recommend strategic options—
can stay educated about topics can make decisions autonomously.
surrounding the Black community. Image courtesy of Durham College.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 152017 2017 2018
360insights Autonomous Vehicle smartARM
Innovation Network (AVIN)
360insights is named one of the Ontario Tech University student
at ACE
Best Places to Work in Canada and his teammate from University
by the Great Place To Work Ontario Tech University’s of Toronto win the Imagine Cup—
Institute. Proudly located in Whitby, ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel is Microsoft’s annual innovation
360insights has innovated a software named a key hub within the competition—for their invention,
platform for large manufacturers to Ontario Autonomous Vehicle the smartARM, a prosthetic
launch and execute flexible incentive Innovation Network (AVIN). robotic hand. The competition
programs. By 2020, 360insights ACE provides accurate sensing saw more than 40,000 student
is one of the largest global technologies and reliable machine competitors register and 49 teams
Channel Incentives Management learning techniques to improve from 33 countries qualify for the
(CIM) providers in the world. urban traffic management, Imagine Cup World Finals.
design and connectivity. Image courtesy of smartARM.
Image courtesy of ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel
ace.ontariotechu.ca
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 162018 Building Youth Capacity (BYC) Brock Youth Centre rebrands their organization as Building Youth Capacity (BYC) to reflect services in Durham’s three northern municipalities. The organization provides innovative programs and services to improve the social and economic well-being of youth, and encourage entrepreneurship. Success stories include a virtual hackathon that resulted in the outcome of a youth mental health app going into development.
2019
Life-Saving Medical Isotope
Darlington Nuclear announces planned production of the life-saving
medical isotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99)—used for patients who
need skeletal, brain and organ imaging to detect and diagnose harmful
diseases—continuing OPG’s decades long commitment to supply the
world with valuable radioactive isotopes.
Image courtesy of Ontario Power Generation.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 182019 2019 2019
Electric Vehicle Strategy Innovation in Cancer Care Canada’s First Biogas Plant
in Ontario
Trent University Durham GTA campus Oshawa Power and Utilities
students in the Communications The R.S. McLaughlin Durham Corporation (OPUC) partners with
and Critical Thinking program Regional Cancer Centre at ZooShare—an energy co-operative
begin work on an Electric Vehicle Lakeridge Health wins a Cancer with more than 600 members—
strategy with the Municipality of Quality Council of Ontario 2019 and begins building Canada’s
Clarington. The project looks at best Quality and Innovation Award for first biogas plant at the Toronto
practices for the adoption, use and significant contributions to quality Zoo to convert organic waste to
maintenance of electric vehicles and and innovation in the delivery renewable energy and fertilizer.
electric vehicle charging stations. of cancer care in Ontario.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 192019
Canadian Technical Centre (CTC) McLaughlin Advanced
Technology Track
Construction begins on GM’s McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track, named
after GM Canada’s founder and visionary Colonel Sam McLaughlin. Situated on
55 acres, south of GM’s Oshawa operations, the track will be used to support
the testing of advanced GM vehicle software and technologies that will enable
a future vision that is self-driven, all-electric, and highly connected.
Image courtesy of General Motors Canada.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 202019 2020 2020
1855 Whitby Pivoting During COVID-19 Centre for Cybersecurity
Innovation
1855, Durham Region’s innovation Manufacturers across Durham
accelerator is founded in downtown Region retool to join the fight Durham College launches its fourth
Whitby. Initiated and funded by the against COVID-19. From face applied research centre, the Centre
Town of Whitby and Jason Atkins, shields produced in collaboration for Cybersecurity Innovation,
President and Chief Executive Officer between Ontario Power Generation which offers current and aspiring
of 360Insights, 1855’s goal is to and Ontario Tech University, to cybersecurity professionals, as
accelerate the growth and scale- local sun porch manufacturer Sun well as public and private-sector
up high potential tech companies. Space creating retail protective organizations, access to applied
Founding members include Spark equipment, companies large and research services and leading-
Centre graduates MobileXCo, a small innovate solutions. Of note, a edge education in cybersecurity
quickly accelerating marketing General Motors production facility in to prepare for the ever-changing
technology (MarTech) company. Oshawa is retooled to manufacture and complex threat landscape.
Image courtesy of 1855. face masks for Health Canada.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 212020 2020 2021
Kendal Hills Farm Axcessiom Technologies Intelligent Community
In response to the COVID-19 Axcessiom Technologies, founded The Intelligent Community Forum
pandemic, local farm Kendal at Ontario Tech’s Brilliant Incubator, (ICF), names the Region of Durham
Hills launches a virtual farmers’ receives federal funding to continue as one of the Smart21 Communities
market, collaborating with more to develop their facial landmark of the Year. The ICF recognizes
than 30 other farms to deliver recognition technology that makes communities around the world for
local goods and produce direct driving more accessible for those successfully developing innovative
to consumers. Modelled on a using adaptive technology. solutions that create inclusive and
typical farmers’ market, the project prosperous communities.
collates orders and ships to homes
across the Greater Toronto Area.
A Timeline of Innovation in Durham Region 22We’re confident our innovators will
solve the world’s next big challenge.
Invest Durham is committed to working with others who share our vision of building a modern innovation economy in
Durham. Collaboration between industry, post-secondary institutions, government and innovation centres, alongside
a robust talent pipeline, positions Durham Region to be at the forefront of innovation in Canada—and the world.
An opportunity to join this innovation community awaits your business in Durham Region.
Durham Region is the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area’s (GTA) tech ecosystem. Durham Region
is made up of eight local area municipalities, including the cities of Oshawa and Pickering; the towns
of Ajax and Whitby; the Municipality of Clarington; and the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge.
We’re confident our team will be able to help you.
The Regional Municipality of Durham 1-800-706-9857
Durham Region, Ontario, Canada investdurham@durham.ca
605 Rossland Road East InvestDurham.ca
Whitby, Ontario L1N 6A3 LINKEDIN-IN TWITTER INSTAGRAMDownload a digital copy of this booklet at InvestDurham.ca/innovation If this information is required in an accessible format, please contact Economic Development and Tourism at 1-800-706-9857, ext. 2619.
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