Robert Hood Saunders

Robert Hood Saunders, Q.C.,CBE (May 30, 1903 - January 16, 1955) was mayor of Toronto from 1945 to 1948, President of the Canadian National Exhibition, chairman of the Ontario Hydro (formally named the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario (HEPCO)).

As mayor, he was nicknamed "Grassroots Bob," for his down to earth style. A native of Toronto, he was a champion of the Toronto subway and fought to remove slums. In 1946, Saunders was inspired by an elementary school traffic safety program in Detroit. Saunders worked to start a program in Toronto, and the end result was Elmer the Safety Elephant program.

After his terms as mayor, he became chairman of the Ontario Hydro commission in February 1948. One of his mandates was developing Ontario's waterpower resources, especially on the St. Lawrence Seaway. It was on a business trip as Hydro Chairman that he lost his life in a plane crash on January 14, 1955. The plane left Windsor, Ontario and on approach to London, Ontario, the plane crashed. The 53-year-old Saunders died as a result of the injuries he sustained. He was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

On his death, Frederick Gardiner, QC, Chairman of the Metropolitan Council, had this to say:

"Newsboy, athlete, successful lawyer, mayor to the city, chairman of Hydro, president of the Exhibition, and the one man most responsible for the St. Lawrence Seaway, Bob Saunder's life was a series of successes which only a man of his dynamic energy and ability could accomplish."

A fitting tribute to Saunders was unveiled by the then Premier Leslie M. Frost of Ontario on September 5, 1958. A St. Lawrence Power Project was named after him (The R.H. Saunders - St. Lawrence Station). On this occasion, Premier Frost said,

"...he was a person of kindness and understanding; a very human being in many capacities and in many ways. His accomplishments were legion...It is a fitting tribute to his memory that the St. Lawrence Power Project be named after him."

References

*"Toronto Telegram", January 17, 1955

External links

* [http://www.opg.com/power/hydro/ottawa_st_lawrence/rh_saunders.asp RH Saunder Power Station]
* [http://www.elmer.ca/english/parents/story.htm Elmer the Safety Elephant]
* [http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-1754-12044/life_society/road_safety/clip1 Video clip of Elmer the Safety Elephant]

ee also

*List of Toronto municipal elections