text size smalltext size mediumtext size large
Planning Your Visit About Pier 21 ExhibitionsPrograms and Events Schools and Kids Research Services Support Pier 21 Pier 21 Gift Shop Rental Services

Nation Builder / Bâtisseur du pays

John W. McConnell

Born in 1877 to poor Irish immigrants, he began work as a delivery boy at age 14. He later launched his own business ventures, gaining major interests in the Montreal Street Railway and St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries, and later became owner and publisher of the Montreal Star. As his means grew, so did his dedication to philanthropy, culminating in the establishment of the J.W. McConnell Foundation, dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians. By nature quiet and modest, John W. McConnell was a luminous figure in the building of Canada.

Recognized by
The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

John W. McConnell est né en 1877. Ses parents étaient des immigrants irlandais qui vivaient dans la pauvreté. Il a commencé à travailler en tant que livreur à 14 ans. Plus tard, il a lancé ses propres entreprises, a fait l’acquisition de parts importantes du Montréal Street Railway et des St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries. Par la suite, il est devenu propriétaire et éditeur du Montreal Star. Plus il disposait de ressources, plus il s’intéressait à la philanthropie, ce qui a donné lieu à la création de la J.W. McConnell Foundation, qui est vouée à améliorer la vie des Canadiens. John W. McConnell, qui était tranquille et modeste, est un personnage important dans l’histoire du Canada.

Reconnu par
la J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

Let us help you plan your visit
Do you have an immigration story to share?
Manulife Education Program