Brian McConnell

Who was Brian McConnell?

Brian Douglas McConnell was one of Canada's “pioneer railway builders.” He was educated as a Civil Engineer at Sorel in Quebec City.

After graduating, McConnell was articled to the land surveyor Robert Hayden in 1853 and began professional employment at the office of Thomas Keefer in 1854. While at that firm, he worked as a rodman on the construction of the Montreal Aqueduct.

Between 1854 and 1870 McConnell lived in Quebec and worked on such contracts as dredging and improving Montreal Harbour and the Quebec Harbour.

McConnell is best known, however, for his work on the Canadian Pacific Railway. He was among the eighteen civil engineers to originally survey the north shore of Lake Superior in 1878. At this time, he was employed by the Government of Canada as the C.P.R. had not yet assumed charge over the project. Having completed his work in Northern Ontario, McConnell returned to Montreal and became the superintendent for the city’s water works where he remained until 1892. He was the resident engineer for the city of Westmount and finally entered into private practice and remained as such until 1916.