In 1907, Winnipeg’s Postal Station B (commonly known as North End Post Office) was erected at the northwest corner of Main Street and Magnus Avenue. Tenders were issued by Federal Department of Public Works in March 1907, with plans by Public Works Chief Architect David Ewart calling for a building with a frontage of 71 feet along Main and 85 feet parallel with Magnus. A later design changed the dimensions to 64 feet and 80 feet, respectively. The tender was awarded to the firm of J. McDiarmid & Company with a bid of $46,500. By the year’s end, the cost of the two-storey structure, including electrical work, heating, and fittings, came in around $55,000. The basement and main floor were finished in Tyndall stone, with pressed red bricks used for the second floor. The basement and main floor were to be used for postal operations, with offices of the superintendent and other officials also on the main floor.
Although the facility was scheduled to open in December 1907, construction delays pushed it back to 3 May 1909. Since 1917, the building has been used by other federal departments, although post office operations continued into the 1990s. This building, still owned by the federal government, became a Recognized Federal Heritage Building in August 1989. It has since been converted into a halfway residence for those recently released from incarceration. The original public entrance at Main Street has been sealed.
The former Winnipeg Postal Station B (April 2017)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.91442, W97.13237
denoted by symbol on the map above
“New post office,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 March 1907, page 12.
“North Winnipeg branch Post Office,” Manitoba Free Press, 18 May 1907, page 27.
“Branch Post Office for the North End,” Manitoba Free Press, 21 November 1907, page 26.
“Public works in the west,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 December 1907, page 10.
“Now ready for fixtures,” Winnipeg Tribune, 29 January 1909, page 9.
“Will open at early date,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 March 1909, page 1.
“North End Post Office,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 March 1909, page 1.
“North End Office,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 April 1909, page 1.
“The long expected,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 April 1909, page 10.
“Tribune trumps,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 May 1909, page 1.
“The year in Winnipeg,” Manitoba Free Press, 31 December 1910, page 13.
“Future of Magnus postal outlet in doubt,” Winnipeg Free Press Weekly South West Edition, 14 April 1992, page 5.
Heritage Character Statement, Winnipeg Postal Station B, Canada’s Historic Places.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and George Penner.
Page revised: 28 February 2023
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