Canadian inventions and discoveries are objects, processes, or techniques—invented, innovated, or discovered—that owe their existence either partially or entirely to a person born in Canada, a citizen of Canada, or a company or organization based in Canada. Some of these inventions were funded by National Research Council Canada (NRCC), which has been an important factor in innovation and technological advancement. Often, things discovered for the first time are also called inventions and in many cases, there is no clear line between the two.
The following is a list of inventions, innovations or discoveries known or generally recognized to be Canadian.
Inventions and improvements
Notable Canadian inventions and improvements to existing technologies include:
Montreal Melon — originally cultivated in the Montreal area but lost due to industrialization. The melon's seeds have recently been rediscovered and its cultivation revitalized.[11][12]
Plexiglas — made practical by William Chalmers' invention for creating methyl methacrylate, while a graduate student at McGill University in 1931.
Wonderbra Model 1300 (aka Dream Lift) — the modern plunged-style push-up bra, designed by Louise Poirier in 1964. Though the term Wonder-Bra was coined by an American named Israel Pilot in 1935, the brand itself was popularized by Canadian Moses Nadler, who licensed (and later won) the Wonderbra patent from Pilot. Nadler made his first Wonderbra in 1939 at his Montreal-based Canadian Lady Corset Company, and directed Poirier, his employee, to design the Model 1300 bra.[1]
Snow goggles — used by Inuit to prevent snow blindness in the Arctic and were made typically from ivory, bone or other materials.[17]
Montreal Procedure — a treatment for severe epilepsy invented by Wilder Penfield in 1930, allowing patients to remain awake and describe their reactions while the surgeon stimulates different areas of the brain.[5]
Cymric cat — The Cymric is a muscular, compact, medium-to-large cat that weighs between seven and thirteen pounds and has a strong bone structure. They appear unusually rounded and have a cobby body.
Landseer dog — canine breed the Landseer was developed in Canada. In continental Europe, a black and white variant of the Newfoundland is acknowledged as a distinct breed.
^Young, Jessica (18 September 2020). "Roland Galarneau". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 29 August 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)