Chinatown House MTL is an initiative dedicated to education, cultural programming, and space activation.
Chinatown House seeks to create spaces for the community and the greater public to engage with Chinatown’s cultural heritage and future development planning. Through a diverse range of events – from exhibitions to public consultations to mahjong nights – Chinatown House has activated key spaces in and around Chinatown to create venues for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections.
visitors for cultural programming
cultural events
public exhibitions
spaces activated across Chinatown and Montréal
About the Space
Chinatown House is currently located at 116 De la Gauchetière Street West, on the ground floor of the historic Maison Yep-Riopel.
This multi-purpose space hosts exhibitions, lectures, workshops and socio-cultural events in collaboration with partners and community allies. It is also a community hub and ecosystem for incubating new ideas and visions for Chinatown.
About the Exhibitions
We are committed to providing a space for the public to learn about our Chinatown’s unique cultural heritage and for the community to access stories that reflect their experience and makes them feel valued and represented.
Since the opening of our permanent Chinatown House at 116 De La Gauchetière W, we have been curating exhibitions spotlighting Montréal Chinatown’s people, stories, and history.
Please contact us if you would like to arrange a visit for your class or group.
Now Showing:
Wing Noodles: The Heart of Chinatown
June 2026 – March 2027
Our current exhibition tells the story of the iconic family business that has sustained Chinatown for 128 years and the legacy it leaves for the future of the neighbourhood.
Past Exhibitions:
Made in Chinatown: Portraits of Montreal Chinatown Businesses
January 2026 – May 2027
Our sophomore exhibition was an insider’s point of view into four legacy businesses and their role in fostering intergenerational exchange and the passing down of traditions.
Maison Yep-Riopel
April 2025 – December 2025
Our first exhibition showcased the multi-layered history of the historical building where Chinatown House is located, and where generations of people set up shop and made their home.
Programming vision
Our programming vision for the Chinatown House space is centered around the following key themes and values:
Education
Our events are educational by nature. Beyond the traditional sense of education happening only in an academic or institutional setting, we value non-traditional, non-hierarchal, art-based and experiential forms of education such as oral histories, skills training, and peer mentorship.
JIA prides itself on having a balanced, progressive approach to social issues in the sector.
Cultural Heritage
Our main focus is the preservation, and celebration, of the cultural heritage of the ethnic enclave known as Chinatown, and by extension, the cultural heritage of diasporic populations who animate it.
Place-Based
JIA acknowledges the legacy and importance of buildings, businesses, artifacts and streets that are the lifeblood of Chinatown, and aims to uplift and valorize their stories.
Cross-Cultural
JIA is inclusive. We recognize that our struggles do not occur in a silo; that our knowledge and experience may benefit others, and vice versa.
Forward-Thinking
JIA honours traditions, but prefers not to get stuck in them. JIA proposes events programming that, with respect to what one stereotypically expects to see in Chinatown, strays off the beaten path; surprises, embraces new tools and technologies, pushes boundaries and takes us towards the future.
About the Model
The Concept
Chinatown House is a cultural heritage stewardship model developed by JIA in response to the evolving challenges facing Chinatown. Amid increasing pressure from external development, there is a growing need to preserve physical space while also promoting and sustaining cultural heritage. This model focuses on activating underutilized spaces for community organizing and cultural programming.
Chinatown House MTL is not a single, static site. Instead, it knots together (團結) existing amenities and new partnerships to form a continuous ribbon of interventions that extend beyond the current boundaries of Chinatown.
Cultural Programming
Curation and exhibition space
Educational lecture and workshops
Socio-cultural programs
School visits
Community Organizing
Community hub (meetings and social events)
Facilitate access to community space
Community capacity-building around property management issues
Youth leadership
Space Activation
Activate underutilized community spaces through partnerships
Reappropriation of public space
Adaptive reuse of existing buildings
Alternative development vision for Chinatown as a whole
Chinatown House Timeline
March 2025 – present
116 de la Gauchetière West
Since March 2025, Chinatown House has operated a semi-permanent space at 116 rue de la Gauchetière. This multi-purpose space serves as a central hub for JIA’s presence in the neighborhood, supporting community organizing and public programming. Through occupying a building rich with layered histories and lived experiences, this project contributes a new chapter to Chinatown’s ongoing story.
Operating a dedicated space has also strengthened JIA’s organizational capacity in property management and day-to-day operations, laying the groundwork for more sustainable, long-term stewardship.
April 2024 – present
Multi-location programming
Beginning in April 2024, Chinatown House strategically expanded its presence across the neighbourhood by activating spaces throughout Chinatown. This phase focused on reclaiming and reimagining public space through installations, partnerships, and pop-up events. JIA further expanded our network through partnering with Chinatown family associations, the University of Montreal, the Chinese Hospital of Montreal and the Borough of Ville-Marie.
After two years of multi-site programming, a clear need emerged for a dedicated physical space to anchor this work and sustain a consistent presence in Chinatown.
September 2023 – March 2024
1088 Clark street
Chinatown House MTL launched in September of 2023 on the second floor of the Chinese Family Service at 1088 Clark St. Previously underutilized, the space was preserved through community-driven investment and activation. Programming and events held at this site strengthened JIA’s partnership with the Chinese Family Service and deepened relationships with other neighborhood stakeholders.
Following 6 months at this location, Chinatown House expanded to begin activating other underutilized spaces within the neighbourhood.
Partners
The JIA Foundation thanks the Ville de Montréal / Quebec Government and the McConnell Foundation for their financial support for Chinatown House.
Social Justice