Donald Stephens
Donald McGregor Stephens, B.Sc. Civil Engineering, D. Eng., L.L.D., M.E.I.C., P. Eng.
Donald was born in Reston and attended public and high school in rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In 1921-22 he attended Normal School and then for four years he taught at several Manitoba and Saskatchewan points with occasional employment as a construction worker and farm hand.
In 1931, Dr. Stephens graduated from the University of Manitoba with the degree of B.Sc. C.E. He was senior stick during his final·year at university. In 1932 and 1933 ,he did post-graduate work in hydraulics and economics. He received an honourary degree of Doctor of Engineering from Clarkson College, Potsdam, N.Y. in 1954.
Early Professional Career
In the Fall of 1933, Dr. Stephens joined the permanent staff of the Department of Mines and Natural Resources, Province of Manitoba. From 1938 until 1951 he was Deputy Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. Dr. Stephens has served on two International Engineering Committees considering boundary water problems.
Excerpt from his Merit Award in 1966 - In His membership on the Board of the Atomic Energy of Canada and since 1958 on the International Joint Commission, and service on other provincial, inter provincial and dominion-provincial boards and committees, have resulted in responsibilities associated with the Columbia River, the St. Lawrence, the Passamaquoddy Tidal Project developments. He is a peer in the engineering profession and a dedicated public servant in the finest sense of the term. November 21, 1966
He represented the Province of Manitoba on the Prairie Provinces Water Board until May 1951, and represented the three Prairie Provinces on the Forest Insects Control Board until his appointment to the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board. During the 1950 flood Dr. Stephens organized and directed an emergency flood forecasting unit and represented the Province of Manitoba on the Greater Winnipeg Dyking Board. Since 1948 Dr. Stephens has been Chairman of the Manitoba Section of the Winnipeg River Interprovincial Advisory Board, an engineering board appointed by the Governments of Manitoba and Ontario, which is responsible · for achieving co-ordination of power development programs of the two provinces on the Winnipeg River watershed.
Later Professional Career
Since May 1951 Dr. Stephens has been Chairman and General Manager of The Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board. Upon the acquisition in 1953 by The Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board of the common shares of the Winnipeg Electric Company, Dr. Stephens became President and General Manager of the reorganized Winnipeg Electric Company.
Professional Activities
Dr. Stephens is a member of long-standing of The Engineering Institute of Canada, and his efforts in this organization were recognized in 1954 when Dr. Stephens was elected President. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Institute of Public Administration of Canada and the Winnipeg Branch of the Canadian Institute of Inter national Affairs.
Dr. Stephens is married and has three sons and one daughter.
Association Activities
Dr. Stephens' contribution to the affairs of the Association has been great and varied and his opinions and advice are given place of first consideration in many of the decisions of Council. Dr. Stephens is completing his third term as a member of Council
References
- The above was extracted from the meet the councilor section of Volume 1, No. 3 December edition of The Manitoba Professional Engineer, December 1956.
Donald McGregor Stephens Merit Award - 1966 
Manitoba Professional Engineer 1956-12 - Donald MacGregor Stephens (1903-1968), Manitoba Historical Society Archives (accessed April 15 2025)
Additional Posting
Donald died at Winnipeg on April 2 1968. He is commemorated by Stephens Lake, a water storage reservoir developed by Manitoba Hydro as part of the Kettle Hydro-electric Generating Station, adjacent to Gillam in northern Manitoba.
Compiled by
Posted by Glen N. Cook, P.Eng.(SM), FEC
