Canada

“The transport was so good,” said streetcar enthusiast Jay Miller. “I learned from the people I talked to about how very different the city used to be.”

Local entrepreneurs Thomas Ahearn and Warren Soper started the Ottawa Electric Railway Company in 1891, which was later purchased by the city. At its peak, the streetcar lines covered over 90 kilometres.

Not only did Ottawa have a robust streetcar network, but the capital became known for manufacturing them.

“Ottawa built streetcars for Vancouver, the prairie provinces, and some were even built for Toronto,” Dong said. “But now people don’t even know that history.”