This three-storey building was designed by local architect John Danley Atchison and constructed in 1909 by the firm of Smith and Sharp on the west side of Garry Street, on the former site of the Manitoba Club. Its first occupant was the Toronto-based financial services firm Canada Permanent Trust Company, with other space in the building leased to smaller firms. In 1964, Canada Permanent moved out of the building, which was renamed the Guardian Finance Building for its primary occupant at that time. In the 1970s, it became the Freed Building. In the 1980s, the structure was purchased and renovated by Comcheq Services Limited, whose subsidiary Telpay Incorporated is its present occupant.
Some employees of the company who were killed during service in the First World War were commemorated in a 144th Battalion military vaudeville held at the Winnipeg Theatre on 9-11 March 1916.
Restoration of the building has been recognized by a Conservation Award from Heritage Winnipeg. It is a municipally-designated historic site.
Canada Permanent Building / Telpay Building (September 2014)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89388, W97.14083
denoted by symbol on the map above
Name
Occupation
Service
Rank
Birth Date
Death Date
Ralph Conklin Henderson
[Next of Kin]Accountant
2nd Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps
Private
26 February 1892
6 November 1917
John Henry Clifford Grierson
Clerk
3rd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, British Army
Second Lieutenant
28 October 1894
31 July 1917
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: John Danley Atchison (1870-1959)
Memorable Manitobans: Charles Wallace Sharp (1852-1924)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites
Comcheq Building [formerly Canada Permanent Building] (296-298 Garry Street), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, July 1985.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and George Penner.
Page revised: 16 December 2023
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