John G. Dickinson was responsible for exactly one golf course, Niagara-On-The-Lake. I wish I had more information on how Dickinson became involved with golf. At this point I'm not sure if he immigrated to the area from overseas, or perhaps heard about the game from the Scottish immigrants that settled in the area.
C.B. MacDonald was born on the Niagara Penninsula, and it is possible that his first exposure to the game was due to Dickinson's work. What has been confirmed is that MacDonald participated in the first international golf tournament held in North America. The tournament was held at Niagara-On-The-Lake in 1895, and MacDonald won the long drive contest at a distance of 179 yards.
Course:
Niagara-On-The-Lake (1875) - first few holes laid out in 1875, later expanded to 9 holes