Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canada Building (352 Donald Street, Winnipeg)

This seven-storey building was designed and built in 1910 by the J. McDiarmid Company. Through the years, the main floor has provided space for a variety of small merchants, including watchmakers, tailors, barbers, and photographers. Companies on upper floors have included the Dominion Business College, Manitoba Power Commission, James Richardson and Sons, Dominion Bridge Company, Air Canada, Manitoba Housing and Renewal Corporation, and Manitoba Heart Foundation. In 1924, McDiarmid sold the building to lawyer Allan Bronfman. Twenty-five years later, he sold it to Brian Investments Limited. The building is a municipally-designated historic site.

In 2014, the Canada Building received a Commercial Conservation Award from Heritage Winnipeg.

Canada Building

Canada Building (1911)
Source: Winnipeg Tribune, 26 August 1911, page 11.

Canada Building

Canada Building (September 1949)
Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections, Winnipeg Tribune Photo Collection, Winnipeg Buildings 1952-1978, PC 18/7128/18-6191-075

Canada Building

Canada Building (April 2015)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89530, W97.14446
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Manitoba Business: Dominion Business College / Cooper Education Institute

Sources:

Canada Building (352 Donald Street), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, May 2003.

We thank Nathan Kramer and Darryl Resch for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 23 September 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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