Ruskin Dam was constructed along with the Western Canada Power Company's hydroelectric development of the Stave Valley.

Construction on Ruskin Dam, about 5.6 km (3 mi) downstream of Stave Falls began in 1929 by the British Columbia Electric Railway who had previously bought Western Canada Power in 1921.

[1] In November 1930, the dam was inaugurated and local businessmen and politicians celebrated by dining in its powerhouse.

The upgrades are aimed at bringing the dam and its facilities up to safety standards, improving their seismic performance and increasing their efficiency and life.

The dam creates a reservoir (Hayward Lake) with a 42,000,000 m3 (34,050 acre⋅ft) capacity and 3 km2 (741 acres) surface area.

[7] The dam has been a filming location for the TV series The X-Files, MacGyver, Smallville, Dark Angel and the movie The Invisible.