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Founded in 1818 by Roman Catholic cleric Joseph Norbert Provencher, the St. Boniface College (as of 2011, Université de Saint-Boniface) was the first post-secondary educational institution in Western Canada. Incorporated formally in 1871, it joined with other religious colleges, St. John’s College (Anglican) and Manitoba College (Presbyterian) in 1877 to establish the University of Manitoba which initially served merely to confer degree on those trained by the member colleges, but later assumed responsibility for its own teaching.
The college offered baccalaureate programs in Arts and Education, and has periodically offered non-credit courses in such topics in business administration, accounting, and adult education.
The original St. Boniface College building was built in stages between 1880 and 1902. It was destroyed by fire on 25 November 1922, along with all its records and library holdings. Operations were moved to the St. Boniface Seminary on Cathedral Avenue, which remains its location today.
Period
Rector
?-?
Louis-Raymond Giroux (1841-1911)
1884-1889
Francois Azarie Dugas (1852-?)
1889-1910
?
1910-1912
Joseph Carriere (1871-?)
1912-1913
Gustave Jean (1872-?)
1913-?
Edouard Lecompte
?-1917
Mgr. Gagnieur (?-1921)
1917-?
?
?-1925
Henri Bourque (1868-1943)
1925-1938
?
1938
J. Antonio Beliveau
1938-?
?
?-1954
Jean-d’Auteuil Richard (?-?)
1954-1960
Joseph Oscar Boily (1909-?)
1960-?
Guy Fortier
?-?
?
?-1969
Maurice Richer
1969-1970
Rev. Stephane Valiquette
1970-?
Roger Saint-Denis
?-c1981
?
c1981
Claude Thibault
Period
Principal
1875-1881
Andre-Augustin Forget Despatis (1835-1881)
Period
President
1881-1884
Alphonsus Avila Cherrier (1849-1935)
1884-?
?
?-2014
Raymonde Gagné
2014-2019
?
2019-?
Sophie Bouffard
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface College / Universite de Saint-Boniface (200 Avenue de la Cathedrale, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface College Kitchen Wing Fire Plaque (607 Rue Langevin, Winnipeg)
MHS Centennial Organization: University of Manitoba
“New Rector of St. Boniface College,” Manitoba Free Press, 29 April 1913.
“New Rector appointed for college,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 September 1969, page 4.
“College gets new Rector,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 June 1970.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 27 March 2023
