Douglas McLean
Douglas Lauchlin McLean (1986-1964) P. Eng Past President
Douglas McLean worked on the Shoal Lake Aqueduct, joined the Manitoba Drainage Commission, became Manitoba Deputy Minister of Public Works, and was appointed Superintendent of the Greater Winnipeg Sanitary District. He was President of The Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba (now EGM) in 1926.
Douglas McLean was born in Ottawa, Ontario in August 1886.
Education
Douglas graduated from McGill University in Montreal in Civil Engineering in 1909 with honors in Electrical Engineering, leading his class and winning the British Association Medal and prize.
Early Career
Douglas McLean’s early engineering career was in hydraulic and power development as well as municipal water and sewage works in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State under J. B. McRae, Consulting Engineers, Ottawa.
This was followed by work with the Manitoba Hydrometric Survey, investigating the power possibilities of this Province and with the International Joint Commission surveying the South Saskatchewan River water supply near Elbow and securing data on the Lake of the Woods watershed.
In 1913 he joined the staff of the Greater Winnipeg Water District as Special Assistant to the Chief Engineer on the Shoal Lake Aqueduct location survey. He was particularly proud of the work performed under his direction at the upper end of the project which indicated pumping would not be required if the route he located would be followed. The route involved considerable rock excavation, but which meant Winnipeg has enjoyed a gravity water supply to this day. Later he served the District Engineer in charge of the sections which he had previously located.
Provincial Government Career
On completion of the aqueduct project in 1919 he joined the Manitoba Drainage Commission and in 1922 became Manitoba Deputy Minister of Public Works, serving in this capacity until 1927. Douglas was appointed the Manitoba Power Commissioner for the next five years. Dring this time he oversaw the building of 1,000 miles of power lines in the province.
Greater Winnipeg Sanitary District Career
In 1934 Douglas worked with Mr. W. P. Brereton and Mr. W. S. Lea on preliminary work for the Greater Winnipeg Sanitary District and in 1937 he took charge of the construction of the District’s Treatment Plant and Collection System. On completion of the work in 1938 he was appointed Superintendent of the Greater Winnipeg Sanitary District, retiring in August 1956.
He was brought back as Resident Engineer in charge of the Greater Winnipeg Water District Second Branch Aqueduct in 1959-60 to complete the work on the water supply; he helped initiate fifty years previously.
Professional Service
Douglas McLean always took an active interest in the Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba (now EGM). He was a councilor from 1925 to 1928 and was elected President in 1926.
He was a life member of the Engineering Institute of Canada and the Western Canada Water and Sewage Confederation. In 1953 the Federation of Sewage and Industrial Wastes Associations conferred on him a signal honour, the Arthur Sidney Bedell Award for outstanding personal service in the sewage works field.
Personal Background
Douglas L. McLean died on April 21, 1964, aged 78 years.
References
- The Manitoba Professional Engineer (Bulletin), Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba (now EGM), July 1964. https://enggeomb-heritage.a2hosted.com/index.php/File:1964-07_Manitoba_Professional_Engineer.pdf
- See Also: Manitoba Historical Society - Memorable Manitobans, Memorable Manitobans: Douglas Lauchlin McLean (1886-1964) , https://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs//people/mclean_dl.shtml
- Douglas L. McLean – 1909 McGill University Year Book, Faculty of Science.- https://yearbooks.mcgill.ca/viewbook.php?&campus=downtown&book_id=1909#page/82/mode/1up
Compiled by
Al Myska, PEng (SM), FEC, September 2026
Review – Glen N. Cook, PEng (SM), FEC
Posted by
Glen N. Cook, PEng (SM), FEC
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