On Saturday, June 20, the Ontario Waterpower Association (OWA) and the waterpower community will celebrate Waterpower Day across Ontario, Canada. The date honors the birthday of Sir Adam Beck (born June 20, 1857), a Canadian politician and visionary widely recognized as the father of hydroelectricity in the province.

Over a Century of Power – Celebrating Ontario’s Legacy Facilities

To mark Waterpower Day 2026, OWA is launching Over a Century of Power, a legacy campaign highlighting Ontario’s waterpower stations that have been operating for more than 100 years.

Ontario is home to 224 waterpower facilities, including more than 50 stations that have been in service for over a century. These long-standing assets demonstrate the durability and lasting value of waterpower infrastructure, while also supporting local communities through recreation, flood control, tourism, economic development, and employment.

Below are featured facilities from this year’s campaign:

Renfrew #2 GS, owned and operated by Renfrew Power Generation Inc., is a 1 MW station on the Bonnechere River in Ontario. The station was built in 1910 and now in its 116th year of operation.

Photo Credit: Renfrew Power Generation Inc.

Campbellford GS #1, owned and operated by Peterborough Utilities Group, was built in 1909 on the Trent River in Peterborough, ON. The station has two plants with a total output of 6 MW. Did you know? Peterborough was one of the first cities in Canada to generate clean, affordable, and plentiful hydroelectricity and the first city to use electric streetlights, earning the nickname “The Electric City”.

Photo Credit: Peterborough Utilities Group

DeCew GS, owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation, was built in 1898, and is one of the oldest continually running hydroelectric power generating station in Canada. Located at the base of the Niagara Escarpment in south St. Catharines, the station has four generating units and a capacity of 20 MW.

Photo Credit: Ontario Power Generation

Together, these stations reflect Ontario’s enduring and timeless waterpower legacy, facilities built generations ago that continue to support the province and its communities today.

Building the Next Generation of Waterpower in Ontario

Ontario’s century old stations underscore the long-term value of waterpower, and today the province is preparing to build the next generation of assets. For the first time in more than a decade, Ontario is advancing new hydroelectric development through government initiatives designed to support long lead time, made in Ontario projects.

The Government of Ontario has directed the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to procure up to 1 TWh of new waterpower, creating opportunities for new greenfield facilities and expansions at existing sites. Alongside the recent launch of the Northern Hydro Program, this direction signals a renewed commitment to waterpower as a key component of Ontario’s future energy mix.

As Ontario celebrates Waterpower Day, this forward momentum highlights the continued importance of a resource that has powered the province for more than a century. By honoring the legacy of our oldest stations while advancing new development, Ontario is positioning waterpower to continue supporting communities, economic growth, and long term energy needs for generations to come.

Join the Celebration

The OWA invites individuals, communities, and companies to show their support for Waterpower Day on social media. Share a photo of your local station, your team, or your connection to Ontario’s waterpower story using the hashtag #WaterpowerDay.

You can also use OWA’s toolkit with pre made graphics and captions to help spread the word.

Learn more: https://owa.ca/waterpower-day/

Access the toolkit: https://sites.google.com/view/waterpowerday/home