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Canadian General Electric Building
(Greater Winnipeg Gas Building)
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This building was constructed for the Canadian General
Electric Company (CGE), a Toronto-based manufacturer and
distributor that began operating in Winnipeg around 1893. As
Winnipeg’s use of electricity grew for a wider range
of appliances and fixtures in Winnipeg, the firm had to
relocate several times to accommodate increased consumer
demand.
Unlike many local businesses, protective tariffs and less
direct dependence on the wheat economy allowed the privately
funded construction of this building during the early years
of the Great Depression. Built in a transitional zone bridging
Winnipeg's warehouse and downtown commercial districts, its
Art Deco styling was a marked departure from nearby offices
and warehouses, many of which featured neoclassical designs
popular prior to World War I.
