Cirque Éloize suffers millions in losses after massive Montreal water main break

Cirque Éloize, a Montreal-based circus company, faced substantial losses last month when a city water main break inundated its storage facility, destroying millions of dollars’ worth of equipment, costumes, and archives.

The company’s theatre director, Jeannot Painchaud, believes the city should be held accountable. “Financial compensation, because we lost a lot,” Painchaud said regarding the company’s request.

Due to the water damage, the circus’s tour has been suspended for six months, and insurance will not fully cover the losses. Painchaud explained, “We cannot think about going back on tour. We have to take care of all of this. Find a new warehouse, which we don’t have.”

Despite the setback, performances will continue in the circus’s studio, which was unaffected by the flooding.

The circus is renowned globally, with most of its equipment stored on Notre-Dame Street. On August 16, a massive geyser erupted on René-Lévesque Boulevard, east of de Lorimier Avenue, just before 6 a.m., flooding nearby streets. Several businesses and homes were impacted, including La Morin mustard company, where owner Julien Morin estimated losses could reach $1 million.

Painchaud showed CBC News the extent of the damage at the circus’s storage facility, revealing how high the water had risen and the destruction of electric consoles, lighting, stage sets, and more. The most devastating loss, according to Painchaud, was the destruction of the archives. “It’s a little bit heartbreaking because it’s 32 years of history,” he said. He added that while discussions with the city have been positive, he expects them to fulfill their responsibility.

Marketing Company Faces Significant Losses

Other tenants in the building are also suffering significant losses. Eric Jutras, owner of the marketing firm Groupe Promo-Staff, reported that approximately four feet of water accumulated following the break. The building was without electricity and temporarily condemned, forcing Jutras to seek a new location.

Jutras lost not only equipment and promotional materials but also had to cancel events. Among the affected items were about 3,000 soccer balls contaminated with mold, which had to be discarded. He estimates his losses at over $130,000 but has not yet completed a full assessment due to ongoing cleanup and relocation efforts. Although his insurance is covering the losses, he described the situation as a “logistics nightmare.”

City of Montreal’s Response

Residents and businesses affected by the water main break are still awaiting information on potential compensation from the city. Montreal spokesperson Hugo Bourgoin stated, “The affected citizens had 15 days to file a claim for material damage. The analysis of the claims is underway and will take a few weeks.”

Water Main Repair and Inspection

Repair work on the broken water main is ongoing and is expected to take several weeks. The city had planned to inspect the large water main in the coming months. Chantal Morissette, the city’s director of water services, noted, “There was deterioration there and that’s the reason why the water main was under surveillance. The next inspection was coming up.”

An analysis ordered by the city after the pipe’s last inspection in 2018 revealed that the portion of the water main that failed was expected to last another decade. Morissette explained that a five-to-seven-year interval between inspections is standard, depending on the condition of the water main. During a technical briefing last month, she indicated that steel cables reinforcing the pipe’s cement casing had been degrading at a standard rate of one or two per year. However, this rate had accelerated since the last inspection in 2018. “We are looking for what caused the conduit to deteriorate more quickly,” Morissette said.