New City Gas

1. Overview

New City Gas is a cultural and event complex located at 950 Ottawa Street in Montreal's Griffintown neighbourhood. Since opening in its present form in May 2012, the venue has become particularly associated with electronic music, international DJs, concerts and large-scale events.

Its uniqueness, however, lies as much in its history as in its programming. Unlike a venue built specifically for live performance, New City Gas occupies a former industrial complex whose origins are tied to the development of Montreal's early gas-lighting networks.

The present-day name is therefore not a modern invention. It directly revives the name of the New City Gas Company of Montreal, founded in the mid-19th century and closely connected to the city's industrial and energy history.

2. Industrial Griffintown

The history of New City Gas is inseparable from that of Griffintown. During the 19th century, this area southwest of downtown became one of Montreal's principal industrial districts.

Its proximity to the Lachine Canal, the port, railway lines and working-class neighbourhoods encouraged the establishment of factories, warehouses, workshops and infrastructure required by the rapidly growing metropolis.

It was within this landscape of smokestacks, factories and utilitarian buildings that the New City Gas Company established its operations. The complex's imposing volumes and masonry still bear witness to a period when Griffintown was one of the engines of Montreal's industrial development.

3. 1847: The New City Gas Company

The New City Gas Company of Montreal was established in 1847 to provide gas lighting in a city undergoing rapid expansion.

An earlier company, the Montreal Gas Light Company, had already provided this type of service since 1837. The new company entered into competition with it before acquiring it in 1849, thereby consolidating a significant portion of Montreal's gas-lighting market.

In an era before electricity became widespread, gas represented a major transformation in urban life. It allowed streets, businesses, institutions, residences and industrial facilities to be illuminated much more systematically than had previously been possible.

4. Lighting Montreal with Gas

The gas used during the 19th century was not the natural gas distributed today. It was primarily manufactured gas, produced industrially from coal.

Coal was heated in specialized installations to extract a combustible gas. The resulting gas then had to be treated, purified, stored and distributed through a network of pipes to consumers throughout the city.

This system helped transform Montreal. Streets could be illuminated after nightfall, businesses could extend their hours and buildings gained access to a source of lighting independent of candles and oil lamps.

5. 1859–1861: The Industrial Complex

Although the company had existed since 1847, the historic buildings now associated with New City Gas were primarily erected between 1859 and 1861.

Their architecture was first and foremost dictated by industrial requirements. Vast interior volumes, substantial stone and brick masonry and large roof structures gave the complex a monumental presence within Griffintown's industrial landscape.

Designed to house energy-production activities rather than cultural events, the complex gradually acquired significant heritage value. Its silhouette remains one of the visible reminders of 19th-century industrial Griffintown.

6. The Evolution of the Energy Industry

By the late 19th century, the emergence and spread of electric lighting gradually disrupted the gas industry. The company operated within an energy sector in which businesses merged and restructured in response to new technologies.

In 1878, the New City Gas Company became the Montreal Gas Company. In 1901, it merged with the Royal Electric Company to form Montreal Light, Heat and Power Consolidated, which became one of the major forces in Montreal's energy industry.

These changes gradually marked the end of the New City Gas Company as an independent enterprise, but the Griffintown industrial complex remained a physical witness to this early period in Montreal's energy history.

7. Preserving an Industrial Heritage Site

As Griffintown's traditional industrial functions declined, many buildings in the neighbourhood disappeared or were substantially transformed. The New City Gas complex, however, survived the area's major changes.

Its heritage value was recognized well before its transformation into a performance venue. In 1987, Héritage Montréal notably asked the City of Montreal to protect the building as a historic monument.

In 2007, the complex became part of a preservation and revitalization effort within the broader redevelopment of Griffintown. The objective was to preserve the building's architectural character while giving it a new purpose.

8. The Complex Reborn

The conversion of New City Gas was based on a relatively simple idea: to use the very qualities of the industrial building — its scale, high ceilings, masonry and monumental character — to create a cultural and event venue.

Rather than completely concealing the site's industrial past, the redevelopment highlighted several of the complex's architectural characteristics. Contemporary sound, lighting and production equipment was integrated into a building envelope that retained a strongly historic identity.

This approach placed New City Gas within an international movement to repurpose former industrial buildings for cultural, artistic and nightlife uses.

9. 2012: The Birth of New City Gas as a Cultural Venue

New City Gas in its contemporary form was officially inaugurated in May 2012. The historic company name was retained, creating a direct link between the building's new cultural vocation and its industrial past.

That same year, the complex was associated with the first edition of C2 Montréal, an event devoted to the intersection of commerce and creativity. The spectacular character of the site helped introduce New City Gas to a new audience.

The building proved particularly well suited to temporary installations, ambitious scenography and events requiring expansive indoor and outdoor spaces.

10. Music and Programming

New City Gas quickly developed an identity strongly associated with electronic music and DJ culture. Its large main room, audiovisual systems and industrial architecture allow it to accommodate productions beyond the scale of a traditional nightclub.

International DJs, producers and artists perform alongside Montreal and Canadian acts. The venue also hosts concerts, themed events, galas, launches, conferences, artistic installations and corporate productions.

This versatility is an essential part of its identity. New City Gas functions simultaneously as a performance venue, nightlife destination, cultural space and event complex.

11. Architecture and Spaces

The New City Gas experience is inseparable from its architecture. High ceilings, historic masonry and the imposing dimensions of the buildings constantly recall their industrial origins.

The complex includes several spaces that can be used separately or together. The main hall notably features a large floor area, side mezzanines and different levels, while additional indoor spaces and terraces allow the site to be adapted to different types of events.

This modularity explains why capacity figures can vary considerably depending on the space and configuration being used. New City Gas is therefore best understood as an event complex rather than as a single venue with one fixed capacity.

12. Cultural Role

New City Gas occupies a distinctive place in the history of Montreal's performance venues. Few of the city's music venues have such a direct connection to the industrial history of the 19th century.

Its conversion also reflects the transformation of Griffintown. Once a neighbourhood of factories, workshops and workers, the district underwent profound urban change in the early 21st century. New City Gas represents one of the most visible examples of the reuse of this industrial heritage.

Musically, the venue has helped provide Montreal since 2012 with a large-scale space devoted notably to electronic music and immersive productions, while also hosting a wide variety of other cultural events.

13. Timeline

1837 — The Montreal Gas Light Company begins providing gas lighting in Montreal.

1847 — The New City Gas Company of Montreal is established.

1849 — New City Gas acquires the Montreal Gas Light Company.

1859–1861 — Construction of the principal historic buildings now associated with the New City Gas complex.

1878 — The company becomes the Montreal Gas Company.

1901 — The company merges with the Royal Electric Company to form Montreal Light, Heat and Power Consolidated.

20th century — The complex's original industrial functions gradually decline as the energy sector evolves.

1987 — Héritage Montréal asks the City of Montreal to protect the building as a historic monument.

2007 — The complex becomes part of a preservation and revitalization effort associated with the redevelopment of Griffintown.

May 2012 — New City Gas is officially inaugurated as a performance and event venue.

2012 — The complex is associated with the first edition of C2 Montréal.

2010s–2020s — New City Gas establishes itself as a major Montreal venue for electronic music, concerts and events.

Today — The complex remains active at 950 Ottawa Street, bringing together music, culture, hospitality and events within its historic industrial setting.