Toronto History: Did You Know?

Anyone who travels Toronto's University Ave. cannot help but be impressed with the magnificent Canada Life Building located on the west side of the street, just north of the Queen St. intersection. The company had been established in Hamilton, in 1847 where business was good. But things could be better and it wasn't long before company officials decided to take advantage of the possibilities afforded by opening a small office on King St. W., right in the heart of the provincial capital, Toronto.
The plan worked and before long unprecedented growth made it necessary for the company to seek even larger premises. A new building was the only answer and it was into this six-story structure at 40-46 King St. W., soon known far and wide as the Canada Life Building, that the company head office was relocated in 1900.
Throughout the teens and twenties, business continued to grow, and in late 1928 the company announced it had acquired property at the northwest corner of University Ave. and Queen St. (University had yet to be extended south of Queen to its present terminus at Front) on which another Canada Life Building would rise. On January 28 of the following year, a sketch of the proposed new building, prepared by the distinguished Canadian architectural firm of Sproatt and Rolph, appeared in the local newspapers. However, for whatever reason (or reasons) the structure looked significantly different when it opened for business in mid-March, 1931.
Aside from the impressive appearance of the building, its best-known feature is the 13.7 m. (45 ft.) high weather beacon that towers 97.8 m. (321 ft.) above University Ave. It consists of 1007 bulbs in 19 rows of lights and was first illuminated on August 9, 1951. The colour of the top beacon indicates the weather (Green = fair, Red = cloudy, Flashing Red = rain, Flashing White = snow) while the up and down direction of the lights forecasts the variation of the temperature (Up = warmer, down = colder, steady = no change). The forecasts (7:00 a.m. to midnight) are based on Environment Canada information and are updated four times a day.

courtesy of MIKE FILEY, Toronto Sun, Canada Life Building photos courtesy of Google images.