September 20, 2025
Winnipeg Home of Marshall McLuhan Receives Historic Designation
The public is cordially invited to 507 Gertrude Avenue on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 2 p.m. CDT for the official unveiling of Manitoba Historical Society’s “Blue Plaque,” commemorating world-renowned Canadian media scholar, Herbert Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980). Arguably one of the greatest Canadian intellectuals of the 20th century, Marshall McLuhan became a global pioneer in understanding the cultural impact of media and technology on the human race. It is said that he made critical thinking popular, foresaw the Internet, and warned against the excesses of technologies that could undermine human presence.
Two of McLuhan’s most memorable aphorisms, “The medium is the message” and the “global village,” are more relevant in the age of AI and social media than ever.
McLuhan lived at 507 Gertrude from age eight to 22, (1920-1934), the house where he lived longer than anywhere else. From here, he attended Gladstone and Earl Grey Schools, Kelvin Technical High School, and the University of Manitoba. These crucial formative years on the prairies left their mark on the young Marshall, who never forgot his Winnipeg roots. In a 1970 CBC interview, McLuhan spoke with fondness about the Canadian frontier: “The Westerner doesn’t have a point of view. He has a vast panorama. He has such tremendous space around him… he has a total field of vision.”
About the Blue Plaque Program
The Blue Plaque Program began in London, England in 1866, to mark the homes of famous people.
Thanks to a collaboration between the Manitoba Historical Society and the Manitoba Real Estate Association, this program enjoyed its first Manitoba incarnation from 2010 to 2015 as “Memorable Manitobans: The Homes.”
The Blue Plaque to be placed at 507 Gertude is the first in a decade, and is sponsored by the Marshall McLuhan Initiative Inc. (The Initiative), a charitable organization dedicated to the study, interpretation, and popularization of McLuhan’s legacy. The Initiative recently acquired the property and plans to transform it into a centre that honours that legacy.
The unveiling of the plaque coincides with the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Marshall’s high school career at Kelvin High School.
McLuhan spent the bulk of his professional career teaching English at the University of Toronto, and even today is recognized as a renowned communications visionary. His pioneering thought spawned the discipline now known as media ecology, which endeavours to explain the effects of media and technology on the human condition. Today, McLuhan’s timeless wisdom is still a clarion call for us to think critically, and to seek meaning and understanding within the rapidly-changing digital age in which we live.
The Unveiling
Initiative CEO, Howard R. (J.) Engel will deliver the welcome. Local dignitaries and representatives from institutions that contributed to McLuhan’s education also will share their messages. Tours of the house in small groups will be offered after the short program. Light refreshments will be available.
Visit the Event announcement
Below you will find audio greetings sent by Michael McLuhan and the video of the event.