Top 100 Inventions Made in Canada

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By
Mary Bellis
Inventions Expert
    Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell.
    Learn about ourEditorial Process
    Updated on May 07, 2025

    Key Takeaways

    • Canada has produced over one million patented inventions, showcasing vast technological and creative contributions.
    • Inventions span many fields like sports, medicine, transportation, and communication, impacting daily life worldwide.
    • The National Research Council of Canada plays a crucial role in funding innovation and technological advancements.

    Canadian inventors have patented more than one million inventions. Let's take a look at some of the top Canadian inventions brought to us by those from the country, including natural-born citizens, residents, companies, or organizations based there. According to Canadian author Roy Mayer in his book "Inventing Canada: 100 Years of Innovation": 

    "Our innovators have given novelty, variety, and color to our lives with their great practical gifts, and the world would be an exceedingly boring and grey place without their vitality."

    Some of the following inventions were funded by the National Research Council of Canada, which has been an important factor in innovation and technological advancement in the country.

    Top Canadian Inventions

    From AC radio tubes to zippers, these accomplishments are in the areas of sports, medicine and science, communications, entertainment, agriculture, manufacturing, and day-to-day necessities.

    Sports

    InventionDescription
    5 Pin BowlingA Canadian sport invented by T.E. Ryan of Toronto in 1909
    BasketballInvented by Canada-bornJames Naismith in 1891
    Goalie MaskInvented by professional hockey goal tender Jacques Plante in 1960
    Lacrosse

    Codified byWilliam George Beers around 1860

    Ice HockeyInvented in 19th-century Canada

    Medicine and Science

    InventionDescription
    Able WalkerThe walker to help disabled people's mobility was patented by Norm Rolston in 1986
    Access BarPatented food bar designed to help burn fat byDr. Larry Wang
    AbdominizerThe infomercial exercise darling invented by Dennis Colonello in 1984
    AcetyleneThomas L. Wilson invented the production process in 1892
    Acetylene Gas BuoyNavigational tool for lighthouses, invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1904
    Analytical Plotter3D map-making system invented by Uno Vilho Helava in 1957
    Bone Marrow Compatibility TestInvented by Barbara Bain in 1960
    BromineA process to extract bromine was invented by Herbert Henry Dow in 1890
    Calcium CarbideThomas Leopold Willson invented a process for calcium carbide in 1892
    Electron MicroscopeEli Franklin Burton, Cecil Hall, James Hillier, and Albert Prebus co-invented the electron microscope in 1937
    Cardiac PacemakerInvented by Dr. John A. Hopps in 1950
    Insulin ProcessFrederick Banting, J.J.R. Macleod, Charles Best, and James Collip invented the process for insulin in 1922
    Java Programming LanguageA software programming language invented by James Gosling in 1994
    KeroseneInvented by Dr. Abraham Gesner in 1846
    The Process to Extract Helium from Natural GasInvented by Sir John Cunningham McLennan in 1915
    Prosthetic HandAn electric prosthetic invented by Helmut Lucas in 1971
    Silicon Chip Blood AnalyzerInvented by Imants Lauks in 1986
    Synthetic SucroseInvented by Dr. Raymond Lemieux in 1953

    Transportation

    InventionDescription
    Air-Conditioned Railway CoachInvented by Henry Ruttan in 1858
    AndromononThree-wheeled vehicle invented in 1851 by Thomas Turnbull
    Automatic FoghornThe first steam foghorn was invented by Robert Foulis in 1859
    Antigravity SuitInvented by Wilbur Rounding Franks in 1941, a suit for high-altitude jet pilots
    Compound Steam EngineInvented by Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts in 1842
    CPR MannequinInvented by Dianne Croteau in 1989
    Electric Car HeaterThomas Ahearn invented the first electric car heater in 1890
    Electric StreetcarJohn Joseph Wright invented an electric streetcar in 1883
    Electric WheelchairGeorge Klein of Hamilton, Ontario, invented the first electric wheelchair for World War II veterans
    Hydrofoil BoatCo-invented by Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin in 1908
    JetlinerThe first commercial jetliner to fly in North America was designed by James Floyd in 1949. The first test flight of the Avro Jetliner was on August 10, 1949.
    OdometerInvented by Samuel McKeen in 1854
    R-Theta Navigation SystemInvented to enable polar coordinate aviation navigation by J.E.G. Wright in 1958
    Railway Car BrakeInvented by George B. Dorey in 1913
    Railway Sleeper CarInvented by Samuel Sharp in 1857
    Rotary Railroad SnowplowInvented by J.E. Elliott in 1869
    Screw PropellerShip's propeller invented by John Patch in 1833
    SnowmobileInvented by Joseph-Armand Bombardier in 1958
    Variable Pitch Aircraft PropellerInvented by Walter Rupert Turnbull in 1922

    Communication/Entertainment

    InventionDescription
    AC Radio TubeInvented by Edward Samuels Rogers in 1925
    Automatic Postal SorterIn 1957, Maurice Levy invented a postal sorter that could handle 200,000 letters an hour
    Computerized BrailleInvented by Roland Galarneau in 1972
    Creed Telegraph SystemFredrick Creed invented a way to convert Morse Code to text in 1900
    Electric OrganMorse Robb of Belleville, Ontario, patented the world's first electric organ in 1928
    FathometerAn early form of sonar invented byReginald A. Fessenden in 1919
    Film ColorizationInvented by Wilson Markle in 1983
    GramophoneCo-invented by Alexander Graham Bell and Emile Berliner in 1889
    Imax Movie SystemCo-invented in 1968 by Grahame Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, and Robert Kerr
    Music SynthesizerInvented by Hugh Le Caine in 1945
    NewsprintInvented by Charles Fenerty in 1838
    PagerInvented by Alfred J. Gross in 1949
    Portable Film Developing SystemInvented by Arthur Williams McCurdy in 1890, but he sold the patent toGeorge Eastman in 1903
    Quartz ClockWarren Marrison developed the firstquartz clock
    Radio-Transmitted VoiceMade possible by the invention ofReginald A. Fessenden in 1904
    Standard TimeInvented bySir Sanford Fleming in 1878
    Stereo-Orthography Map Making SystemInvented by T.J. Blachut, Stanley Collins in 1965
    Television SystemReginald A. Fessenden patented a television system in 1927
    Television CameraInvented by F.C.P. Henroteau in 1934
    TelephoneInvented in 1876 byAlexander Graham Bell
    Telephone HandsetInvented by Cyril Duquet in 1878
    Tone-to-Pulse ConverterInvented by Michael Cowpland in 1974, to use rotary phones in modern button phone systems.
    Undersea Telegraph CableInvented by Fredrick Newton Gisborne in 1857
    Walkie-TalkiesInvented by Donald L. Hings in 1942
    Wireless RadioInvented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1900
    WirephotoEdward Samuels Rogers invented the first way to transmit pictures by telegraph, telephone, or radio in 1925

    Manufacturing and Agriculture

    InventionDescription
    Automatic Machinery LubricatorOne of the many inventions ofElijah McCoy
    Agrifoam Crop Cold ProtectorCo-invented in 1967 by D. Siminovitch & J.W. Butler
    CanolaDeveloped from natural rapeseed byNRC personnel in the 1970s.
    Half-Tone EngravingCo-invented by Georges Edouard Desbarats and William Augustus Leggo in 1869
    Marquis WheatThe cultivar of wheat used worldwide and invented by Sir Charles E. Saunders in 1908
    McIntosh AppleDiscovered by John McIntosh in 1796
    Peanut ButterAn early form of peanut butter was first patented by Marcellus Gilmore Edson in 1884
    PlexiglasPolymerized methyl methacrylate invented by William Chalmers in 1931
    Potato DiggerInvented by Alexander Anderson in 1856
    Robertson ScrewInvented by Peter L. Robertson in 1908
    Rotary Blow Molding MachinePlastic bottle maker invented by Gustave Côté in 1966
    SlickLickerMade for cleaning oil spills and patented by Richard Sewell in 1970
    Superphosphate FertilizerInvented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1896
    UV-degradable PlasticsInvented by Dr. James Guillet in 1971
    Yukon Gold PotatoDeveloped by Gary R. Johnston in 1966

    Household and Everyday Life

    InventionDescription
    Canada Dry Ginger AleInvented in 1907 by John A. McLaughlin
    Chocolate Nut BarArthur Ganong made the first nickel bar in 1910
    Electric Cooking RangeThomas Ahearn invented the first in 1882
    Electric LightbulbHenry Woodward invented the electric lightbulb in 1874 and sold the patent to Thomas Edison
    Garbage Bag(polyethylene)Invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950
    Green InkCurrency ink invented by Thomas Sterry Hunt in 1862
    Instant Mashed PotatoesDehydrated potato flakes were invented by Edward A. Asselbergs in 1962
    Jolly JumperBaby bouncer for prewalking babies invented by Olivia Poole in 1959
    Lawn SprinklerAnother invention made byElijah McCoy
    Lightbulb LeadsLeads made of nickel and iron alloy were invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1892
    Paint RollerInvented by Norman Breakey of Toronto in 1940
    Polypump Liquid DispenserHarold Humphrey made pumpable liquid hand soap possible in 1972
    Rubber Shoe HeelsElijah McCoy patented an important improvement to rubber heels in 1879
    Safety PaintA high-reflectivity paint invented by Neil Harpham in 1974
    SnowblowerInvented by Arthur Sicard in 1925
    Trivial PursuitInvented in 1979 by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott
    Tuck-Away-Handle Beer CartonInvented by Steve Pasjac in 1957
    ZipperInvented by Gideon Sundback in 1913

    Are You a Canadian Inventor?

    Were you born in Canada, are you a Canadian citizen, or are you a professional living in Canada? Do you have an idea you think may be a moneymaker and you do not know how to proceed?

    There are a number of ways to find Canadian funding, innovation information, research money, grants, awards, venture capital, Canadian inventor support groups, and the Canadian government patent offices. A good place to start is theCanadian Intellectual Property Office.  

    Sources:

    • Carleton University, Science Technology Centre
    • Canadian Patent Office
    • National Capitol Commission
    • Mayer, Roy. "Inventing Canada: 100 Years of Innovation." Vancouver: Raincoast Books, 1997.
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    Bellis, Mary. "Top 100 Inventions Made in Canada." ThoughtCo, May. 8, 2025, thoughtco.com/made-in-canada-1991456.Bellis, Mary. (2025, May 8). Top 100 Inventions Made in Canada. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/made-in-canada-1991456Bellis, Mary. "Top 100 Inventions Made in Canada." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/made-in-canada-1991456 (accessed November 27, 2025).