Originally founded as Alberta Treasury Branches in 1938 during a period of economic hardship in Alberta, the creation of ATB was part of a broader response to the Great Depression, aimed at providing financial services to Albertans who were underserved by traditional banks.

To honor this history, ATB partnered with PCL Construction, transforming three-quarters of the 21st floor of ATB’s downtown Edmonton south tower into an immersive museum space. The museum celebrates ATB’s evolution from a small treasury branch into the largest financial institution headquartered in Western Canada. 

Our specialized-contractor services team, known as Special Projects, has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with ATB based on our continued reliable service under a Master Services Agreement, dating back to 2021. This agreement enables a rapid response, allowing our team to deliver customized solutions to meet ATB’s evolving needs, including last-minute scope changes and additional display features.  

Driven by a non-negotiable deadline, the team executed the project in phases: office relocation, lobby demolition and expansion, and museum installation. The scope of the work included:

• Phased Approach: Staff were relocated to minimize disruption, followed by demolition and renovation of office areas to support the installation of museum displays. 

• Noise & Dust Mitigation: Crews installed floor-to-ceiling, ATB-branded hoarding and limited the noisy work to early morning hours, to minimize the impact on building occupants. 

• Precision Planning: Specialty millwork and custom display cases, along with signage, required exacting specifications and early shop drawing approvals to accommodate long lead times. 

• Constant Coordination: Daily communication with subcontractors and suppliers kept the project on track.

The PCL Special Projects team seamlessly transformed 19,000 square feet of active office space into a vibrant museum, new office spaces and meeting rooms, delivered on budget and ahead of schedule, allowing ATB to host a scheduled gala event in the new space. 

Visitors to the 21st floor can now explore ATB’s history through carefully curated artifacts and displays, installed with precision by our Special Projects team.