Preserving past, pondering future of 142-year-old downtown church First phase of heritage renewal project identifies more than $7M needed for ‘critical’ repairs; officials unsure where money will come from By: Chris Kitching Posted: 6:55 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 29, 2026

A 142-year-old church in downtown Winnipeg needs about $7.7 million for upgrades and related costs, while an ongoing heritage renewal project aims to create a blueprint for its future.

Potential options include selling Holy Trinity Anglican Church and leasing it back for a decades-long term, or building an apartment or office tower on an existing surface parking lot to generate revenue, officials said Wednesday.

“I think that is part of the negotiation and ensuring we have the right partners, but it is hard to put down on paper precisely every aspect of the future of a place of worship,” project manager Stephen Borys said of the potential duration of a sale and leaseback agreement to ensure the church still exists generations from now.

Similar agreements with 50- or 100-year leases exist elsewhere in Canada, he said, noting the option has been on the table for Holy Trinity for a year.

Officials held a news conference at the church, located between Donald and Smith streets at Graham Avenue, to share the findings of the project’s first phase, an extensive assessment that identified precise repairs and a cost estimate to preserve the building, and to launch the second phase, which they said is a comprehensive engagement and consultation process to determine the future of the property and how it and the congregation serve the community.

The project began after concerns that, without intervention, Holy Trinity could collapse or require demolition.

Borys, president and CEO of Civic Muse Inc., a Winnipeg-based an arts and cultural consulting firm, said about $7.7 million is needed to stabilize the church’s foundation, complete other improvements and cover certain costs or fees.

Past studies suggested it would cost about $7 million to stabilize and restore the building.

Sections of the existing stone foundation need to be underpinned. New structural supports are also needed. Other tasks include roof repairs and mechanical and electrical system upgrades.

The big question is who will pay for the work.

“The honest answer is we’re not sure at this stage, but we have the information we need to begin those discussions,” said Borys, who cautioned the $7.7 million estimate is not a final project budget.

Depending on future plans and partners, funding could be sought from governments and private-sector foundations, he said.

The building assessment, led by Monteyne Architecture, determined the church’s shallow stone foundation, which is a walkable crawlspace, and the deeper foundation of a parish hall built in the 1960s settled differently, resulting in cracks, uneven floors and “localized structural movement.”

Borys said repair work will be complex because the church is a national historic site and a municipal landmark heritage structure. Holy Trinity opened in 1884. The church building is an example of Victorian-era Gothic revival architecture.

Borys said work to address “critical” foundation issues could begin by the end of 2029. A report is expected next spring with preliminary designs and the results of the engagement and consultation process, which will include governments, Indigenous leaders, Holy Trinity’s congregation, residents, potential developers and businesses.

“Throughout this process, we will be asking questions like this: how can Holy Trinity continue to strengthen its role as a place of worship and spiritual life?” he said. “How might it further contribute to the downtown as a centre for music, culture, education, reconciliation and gathering?”

The phase will explore how to preserve the church building so it remains active, accessible, relevant, meaningful and financially sustainable, he said.

By next spring, officials will be ready to sit down with potential partners, developers, investors or others to talk about what could happen on the property. Future decisions will rest with the parish and diocesan governing bodies.

Holy Trinity incumbent Rev. Donna Joy invited all Winnipeggers to take part in consultations.

“This project is about preserving a historic building, but it is equally about strengthening Holy Trinity’s place in the life of our city,” she said.

“We want to listen, to learn and work together to imagine how this remarkable place can continue to serve Winnipeg in new and meaningful ways.”

Borys suggested the parking lot could become a high-rise for apartments or offices, a parkade or a science centre.

“The building will stay. It will be preserved. The diocese has made it clear that there always must be a place and accommodation for worship here,” he said.

A 12-storey, 110-unit housing project was built next to All Saints Church in West Broadway in a joint venture between the church and University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corp. 2.0 to generate revenue. Borys said Holy Trinity is in talks with the latter as a potential partner.

Mayor Scott Gillingham, who attended the event, said it’s too early to say if the city will contribute to the cost of building upgrades. He noted CentreVenture Development Corp., an arm’s-length, city-funded agency, contributed to the project’s initial phases.

After jointly funding the building study, CentreVenture is teaming with the Anglican Foundation of Canada, the Winnipeg Foundation, the Diocese of Rupert’s Land and Holy Trinity’s parish to cover the second phase’s $90,000 cost.

“Not only does this church have an important historic past, I believe this building has an important future for the centre of Winnipeg,” Gillingham said. “I look forward to what the outcome is of the conversations with the community.”

Gillingham, a former Pentecostal pastor, delivered a sermon at Holy Trinity as part of a minister exchange program prior to being elected to city council in 2014.

Rochelle Squires, president and CEO of CentreVenture, said the heritage building has an important role to play in the future of downtown Winnipeg.

“Downtown Winnipeg continues to evolve and we know that successful downtowns are built on a mix of uses and experiences,” she said.

“They need places to live and work, but they also need places that bring people together. Places of culture, community, hospitality and connection.”

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

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