Things you may or may not know were invented in Canada

Brains and beauty! Since its 1867 inception, the Great North has been revered for its good looks and politeness, but the country is also credited for some of the world’s best products, ideas, and sports.

With Canada Day just around the corner, we thought we’d take a look-see at some of the other wonderful things invented in Canada, in addition to better-known game-changers, like the Caesar, pacemaker, insulin, and the zipper.

What else do we have to thank Maple Country for? Here are just a few.

Peanut butter

Smooth or crunchy, peanut butter is the “it girl” of spreads. According to the National Nut Board, Marcellus Gilmore Edson, a Canadian, patented peanut paste in 1884, which later became the iconic treat.

McIntosh apples

Of all the apples, McIntosh is our favourite, but not just because it’s delicious. It’s also Canadian! In 1811, John McIntosh discovered the variety on his Ontario farm. In 1880, they were made commercially available, and the rest, they say, is history.

Global time zones

Ever set your alarm for a televised event on the other side of the globe? You’ve got railroads and Canada to thank for the ability to do so.

An engineer for Canadian railways, Sir Sanford Fleming, got the idea of standardizing times worldwide in relation to daylight when he missed a train in 1876. In 1884, Fleming attended the Prime Meridian Conference, where standard time and time zones were made official.

IMAX

Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean something is better, unless you’re looking at a screen. According to the Toronto Film School, Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, William C. Shaw, and Robert Kerr invented the IMAX projection in Montreal.

Hawaiian Pizza 

Love it or hate it, it’s Canadian, and we’ve got Greek-born Canadian restaurant owner Sotirios “Sam” Panopoulos to thank for that.

Honestly, we think it’s our fave, so thanks, Sam.

Wonderbra

Known for their innovative push-ups, Wonderbra is a mega company. What you may not know is that the company was founded in Montreal, and since 1939, they’ve continued to ride the wave of success.

The Sprinkler

Speaking of waves, did you know that a summer favourite was also invented by a Canadian? Elijah McCoy and his mother escaped slavery and fled to Ontario.

Throughout his life, the engineer would own 57 patents, one of which was for the lawn sprinkler.

Basketball

In addition to controversial foods and summer favourites, Basketball was also invented by a Canadian. While teaching at the YMCA in Massachusetts, James Naismith invented one of the most popular sports in the world.

Did you know any of these were invented in Canada?

Let us know on Instagram. We can’t wait to see what you share.

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