EDMONTON—An Edmonton building just became an official part of history.
The Canada Permanent Building, a small but unique downtown heritage structure, will get a second wind after being declared a Municipal Historic Resource by the city.
The Canada Permanent Building has sat on 101 Avenue and 100 Street since 1909. The structure was designed by early 20th century architect Roland W. Lines for the Canada Permanent Mortgage Company.
“Although it’s not a large structure, the elaborate detailing of the Canada Permanent Building’s primary facade makes it a memorable and much-loved landmark in downtown Edmonton,” said Scott Ashe, heritage planner, in a statement.
The building is an example of Edwardian Baroque-style architecture. The city noted it was designed to project strength and stability — an important message for a mortgage company. Canada Permanent provided mortgages for farms, residences and small businesses in Edmonton during a period of rapid growth. The building was advertised as Edmonton’s first “fireproof bank” because of its reinforced concrete structure.
According to the city, Lines had a short but significant career in Edmonton and is still known today for his architectural work on the Union Bank Building and the Norwood School, among others. Before he could design more buildings, he was killed in the First World War.
The current owners of the Canada Permanent Building will receive a grant of $112,620 from the city’s Heritage Resources Reserve fund to assist in rehabilitation costs to the building. It was designated as a Provincial Historic Resource in 1995.
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