504 Main Street

Union Bank / Royal Bank of Canada

The Union Bank of Lower Canada was founded in Quebec City in 1865 and quickly expanded their footprint across western Canada. In 1904, they built Winnipeg’s 11-storey Union Bank Tower at 504 Main Street, eventually headquartering here eight years later. 

The original Union Bank sign was painted over in 1925 when the Royal Bank of Canada merged with Union Bank to become one of Canada’s leading financial institutions. They operated out of that location until 1974 when the building was sold. 

In 2013, the building became Red River College’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. Because of the heritage protections in place, the Royal Bank ghost sign still exists today, albeit covered up with a placard instead of painted over.