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Issue 2 | Summer Edition | 2026      BUILD MANITOBA
MEMBER MILESTONES
It’s been a century since Philip 
Wigglesworth “P.W.” Graham drove 
his stake into Canada’s construction 
landscape. In 1913, after leaving his 
father’s company in Huddersfield, 
England, he crossed the pond to begin 
anew as a private contractor in Moose 
Jaw, Sask., under the name Graham & 
Sons Ltd.
It was fortunate timing for an ambitious 
young tradesman; as the Canadian 
National Railway (CNR) took shape 
over the following years, P.W. found 
no shortage of work on railway 
infrastructure projects throughout 
Western Canada. By 1916, Graham & 
Sons Ltd. was incorporated, and the 
family-run company was well on track 
to becoming one of the country’s most 
enduring construction firms.
It was a sweet spot for Graham’s first 
office, says Ron Graham, retired CEO & 
chair of the board, and P.W.’s grandson. 
“He knew CNR was coming through,  
so he set up a great infrastructure in  
Moose Jaw.”
Generations of Grahams have been along 
for the journey since. In the beginning, 
P.W.’s crew included five of his sons, 
including Kenneth Graham, who served 
as company engineer from 1932 until 
1945; Reginald Graham, who handled 
legal affairs and served on the board 
into the 1950s; and Peter Graham, who, 
after earning his civil engineering degree 
at the University of Saskatchewan, 
eventually stepped into a leadership role.
The family-run company built Graham 
& Sons throughout the province, 
expanding beyond railway work into 
hospitals, pipelines and other projects. 
Their momentum and success on 
public contracts (e.g., schools and 
federal buildings) kept their crews busy 
throughout the Great Depression and into 
the 1930s, during which their portfolio 
included projects such as Flin Flon 
Municipal Hall and Val Marie Dam  
in Saskatchewan.
The Second World War would prove 
to be a landmark era for Graham 
thanks to contracts for military aviation 
training schools throughout the Prairies 
and critical projects like the Colonel 
Belcher Hospital Project and “Victory 
Housing.” By the war’s end, Graham had 
established itself as a trusted national 
builder, and its growth continued over 
the decades, taking on all manner  
of projects.
P.W. passed away in 1959 at the age 
of 79, leaving the next chapter of the 
company’s growth to his family. The 
company crossed several milestones 
in the ensuing years, including a name 
change to P.W.G. Enterprises Ltd. in 
1963, the opening of a Saskatoon office 
in 1967 and a new era of leadership by 
Ron Graham beginning in the 1970s.
BUILT TO ENDURE
Four generations later, Graham Construction 
celebrates a century of resilience, growth and 
industry leadership
By Matthew Bradford
Photo courtesy of Graham.
Photo by Carman Tang, WCA.
Members of the Graham team stand in front of 
the STARS Winnipeg Base Expansion Project.

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