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TOHU the Cité des arts du cirque
The revitalization of a district through culture and the environment

The launch last June of the activities of TOHU – the first permanent stage in Canada designed specifically for the presentation of circus shows and acts – marked the successful conclusion of much more than a cultural project. Indeed, this was a multifaceted enterprise that has already had a considerable impact on the environment in which it was established – the Saint-Michel district.

Meeting a growing demand
Plans to create a Cité des arts du cirque were of course inspired by the international success of the Cirque du Soleil in the 1990s.

“There was a real infatuation with the circus here, but the demand far exceeded the supply because there was a shortage of circus infrastructures,” recalls Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, executive vice-president and general manager of TOHU. “So we needed to create a dynamic favourable to the promotion of the circus through high-quality infrastructures.”

TOHU, the new Cité des arts du cirque and the not-for-profit organization behind it, was created in 1999. But much remained to be done: the rehabilitation of the Saint-Michel Environmental Complex, once the second largest urban waste disposal site in North America; the development of infrastructures, the expansion of the Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters; the construction of various facilities, including an artists’ residence, and a circular stage with variable geometry.

In all, the project required investments of $73 million, financed by the Quebec government, the city of Montreal, the Cirque du Soleil, and private sources.

A social mission
This vast Cité des arts du cirque located at the corner of Jarry and d’Iberville streets provides direct employment for almost 2,000 people and generates enormous economic activity. It is thus an extraordinary development pole for a district whose population is known to have the lowest income level of the city’s 27 boroughs.

TOHU’s management insists that local residents must be the first to benefit from this new hub of activity. “We want to ensure that our host community benefits as much as possible from the spin-offs from our presence,” affirms Brunelle. “For example, all the members of our reception staff come exclusively from the Saint-Michel district.”

Within the organization, there is also a clear commitment to the social economy. “Whenever possible, we give contracts to social economy companies,” he adds. “That’s why the Cité des arts du cirque gave Productions Jeune'est, a not-for-profit organization, the mandate to train TOHU’s stage technicians. Maintenance of the 300,000 square foot site is handled by Coopératout, another social economy company.”

TOHU is also well-disposed toward young people. “Our approach is based on inclusion and social reinsertion,” explains Brunelle. “We work closely with social workers in the Saint-Michel district to help young people in difficulty, especially school drop-outs, launch a career with us.”

Private partners
This firm commitment to the social economy has not stopped certain private companies from being closely involved with TOHU. This is particularly true of SSQ Financial Group, which has become the organization’s major private partner. “We emerged from a working-class neighbourhood of Quebec City,” notes Richard Bell, president and CEO of SSQ Financial Group. “So TOHU represents the type of social involvement we are looking for, involving a combination of protecting the environment, promoting culture, and revitalizing a neighbourhood. I didn’t have to twist the arms of board members to invest in this project.”

The Quebec City company, which believes its involvement in TOHU will also give it more visibility in Greater Montreal, fully supports the objectives of the organization. “We are convinced this project can inject new life into a disadvantaged neighbourhood like Saint-Michel. We believe in it, partly, because, in Quebec City, we saw the enormously successful revitalization of the Saint-Roch district, which was also based on cultural initiatives.”

Sustainable, high-quality development
The Cité des arts du cirque now stands on a firm foundation and its future looks bright. “So far, more than 32,000 people have attended our various events,” declares Brunelle. “And we’ve already exceeded expectations in terms of overall economic development.” According to TOHU’s calculations, the project has already generated about $70 million in gross domestic product, or $45 million in salaries and almost $25 million in taxes for the three levels of government.

But, above all, TOHU believes the project has contributed significantly to the identity and self-esteem of residents of the Saint-Michel district. “There’s a sense of optimism here now,” concludes Brunelle. “It’s the sign of sustainable, high-quality development to come.”