War monument removed from Portage and Main to be installed in Field of Honour

A war monument is seen in an undated photo at Portage and Main in Winnipeg. (CTV News Winnipeg)

A war monument that previously stood at the iconic corner of Portage and Main will be installed at the Field of Honour in Brookside Cemetery later this year.

The statue was erected in 1923 outside the former Bank of Montreal (BMO) building in downtown Winnipeg to honour veterans of the First World War.

The Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) purchased the building in 2020 and donated the monument to the City of Winnipeg last year.

The statue was removed from the Portage and Main site prior to a major construction project to reopen the intersection to pedestrian traffic.

Recent posts circulating on social media have suggested the statue was dumped in a junk yard, however, an MMF spokesperson told CTV News it is being stored at a storage facility while it awaits its relocation.

“Due to the size and weight of the monument and based on the expert guidance we were given, we agreed to have it stored outdoors, wrapped in protective coverings,” the spokesperson wrote. “We understand that it was recently and temporarily unwrapped while the storage facility made some adjustments to its yard.”

The spokesperson added the photo on social media was taken on an angle that divides the foreground from the background.

“Most of the items, including the overgrowth and rusted items, are not in the yard where the statue is being stored.”

The Manitoba Metis Federation said it fully intends to follow through on its commitment to help install the monument at the Field of Honour.

“We expect this relocation to take place in the fall of this year, and will ensure that the monument receives all honours during a ceremony that will be open to the public.”