The Hon. Sir William Ralph Meredith, Q.C., LL.D. (March 31, 1840 – August 21, 1923) was Leader of the Ontario Conservatives from 1878 to 1894; Chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1900 until his death, and Chief Justice of Ontario from 1913 until his death. Through his principles - The Meredith Principles - he is regarded as the founding father of the Workers' Compensation System in Ontario, the impact of which was felt throughout Canada and the United States.