Ottawa’s Building Permits, 1946

Although the Second World War had ended the previous year, in 1946, shifting Canada’s economy back from wartime production had proven a somewhat lengthier enterprise. Both materials and capital remained in short supply and, in spite of exceptional need, construction had not yet picked up. In spite of this, there were a few bright spots in Ottawa’s construction industry.

The single largest building permit issued in 1946 was for the British American Bank Note Company’s new Gladstone Avenue headquarters. The $800,000 facility was constructed by the Austin Company and designed to meet the exacting needs of the printer of currency, stamps, and other documents designed to be difficult to replicate.¹Ottawa Journal, July 22, 1946, pp. 1, 9, 17. British American was, of course, a well-established company in Ottawa. From its inception in 1866 to 1946, it was located on Wellington at Kent Street. On April 3, 1946, the Bank of Canada completed its purchase of the property and buildings which surrounded it for a total of $1,170,000. As the central bank’s responsibilities expanded considerably through the War, it was in sore need of additional space and it looked to its neighbours, which included British American Banknote, Canadian Banknote, and the old Ottawa Free Press building.²”Bank Pays $1,170,000 For Larger Site,” Ottawa Journal, April 3, 1946, pp. 1, 12.

At $150,000, Abra and Balharrie’s St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church was tied for fourth with Freiman’s significant alterations as the most valuable building permits issued by the City of Ottawa in 1946. The congregation, which was only formed in 1944, grew quickly and the temporary location of the Gladstone YWCA was woefully insufficient. Wartime material and labour shortages both conspired to ensure that the original vision for the new church was scaled back.

Owner	Description	Location	Value
Zumar Bros.	Theatre and Stores	Wellington Street	85000
N.C. Armstrong	Bowling Alley and Stores	Wellington Street	40000
Connell Cold Storage	Cold Storage Addition	Boteler Street	30000
T. Milonas	Laundry Building	Preston Street	30000
A.W. Lewis	Public Garage	Bank Street	33000
By Town Inn	Hotel Alterations	O'Connor Street	18000
G.T. Green	Two Stores and 4-Apartment Building	Bank Street	35000
Canada Hotel	Addition to Hotel	Murray Street	18000
Corporation of Ottawa	Health Centre	George Street	24980
General Supply Co.	Office and Warehouse Building	Loretta Street	38000
Office Specialty Co.	Two Storey Office Building	Albert Street	40000
Charles Ogilvie Co.	Storage Building	Besserer Street	15000
Charles Wyman	Apartment Building	Chapel Street	15000
St. John's Church	Church Alterations	Elgin Street	65000
National Drug Co	Warehouse - Two storey and basement	Catherine Street	92000
Morrison-Lamothe, Ltd.	Bakery Addition	Echo Drive	75000
Estate H. Brouse	Store and Warehouse	George Street	30000
M. Zagerman	Four Storey Office Building	Rideau Street	100000
T.G. Dawson	Three Storey - Store and Medical Offices	Cooper Street	50000
R. & A. Cohen	Furniture Store Building	Bank Street	65000
Jas. More & Sons	Office and Apartment Building	Argyle Avenue	15000
J.E. Lauzon	Six Suite Apartment House	King Edward Avenue	25000
H.V. O'Rourke	Store and Apartment building	Somerset Avenue West	15000
F.W. Argue	Storage for Trucks	Spruce Street	22000
Ottawa Hydro Electric	Power Sub-Station	Riverdale Avenue	75000
Ottawa Truss Co.	Office and Warehouse Building	Bank Street	65000
P. D'Aoust & Co. Ltd.	Alterations and Addition to Office and Warehouse	York Street	20000
Raport Fruit Co.	Warehouse Building	George Street	15000
Colonial Coach Lines	Garage Building	Broad Street	109000
H. Shepard	Store	Bank Street	18000
A.J. Freiman, Ltd.	Alterations to Store	Rideau Street	150000
Brading's Brewery	Office and Bottling Plant	Wellington Street	100000
Lion's Club of Ottawa	Health Centre	Somerset Street West	28000
McCoy Service, Ltd.	Store Addition	York Street	20000
G.R. Stewart	Addition to Funeral Parlours	Wellington Street	22000
Greene & Scrivens	Thirty Suite Apartment House	Laurier Avenue	130000
Department of Public Works	Storage Building	Echo Drive	27000
Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees	Office Building Addition	Laurier Avenue West	20000
British American Bank Note Co. Ltd.	Office Building and Printing and Engraving Plant	Gladstone Avenue	800000
Public School Board	Addition to School	Iona Street	188282
St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church	New Church	Sherwood Drive	150000
L.R. Laporte	Two Stores	Dalhousie Street	20000
Charles Ogilvie Co.	Addition to Storage Building	Besserer Street	25500
Capital Storage	Addition to Storage Building	Catherine Street	15000
Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation	Converting two storey building to Church and Residence	Wellington Street	20000
M. Zagerman	Planing Mill and Machine Shop	Bayview Road	24000
Fournier Van and Storage	Warehouse Addition	Robinson Avenue	22000
Malling Theatres, Ltd.	Moving Picture Theatre	Bank Street	300000
Brading's - Capital Brewery	Bottling Plant Addition, and Office Building	Wellington Street	250000
W.J. Wills	Two storey Apartment Building	Bronson Avenue	22000
Public School Board	New Two Storey School	Anna Street	92000
W.E. Haughton, K.C.	Two Storey Store and Office Building	Wellington Street	50000
Salvation Army	Power Plant and Laundry Building	Wellington Street	72000
Gallas Bakery	Addition to Bakery	Rochester Street	31000
British American Oil Co.	Gas and Oil Service Station	Dalhousie Street	23000