The first iteration of the St. Boniface Cathedral was nowhere near as grand as the one that stands today. In 1818, there were hardly enough resources or people in Manitoba to necessitate the construction of an elaborate cathedral. Nevertheless, Bishop Norbert Provencher pushed to construct a small log chapel in the little colony of St. Boniface. This was replaced by a proper cathedral in 1832, which burned down by the 1860s. Replaced again – this time by a church made of stone.

By 1900, St. Boniface was the fifth largest city in Western Canada. Now, a larger cathedral was needed. Montreal architect, Jean-Omer Marchand, designed the church and local contractors Senecal & Smith carried out the construction.

Dedicated in 1906, it quickly became a local landmark. Neoclassical in style, the elaborate cathedral was framed by two massive towers. In the center of the facade was a stunning rose stained-glass window. These details no longer remain. On July 22nd, 1968, a fire destroyed most of the original elements. All that remained was the façade and some of the walls.

Instead of demolishing what remained, the surviving 1906 façade was incorporated into a new cathedral by Franco-Manitoban architect Étienne Gaboury in 1972.