Northern Lights Launches Second Year on Parliament Hill

July 12 2016

Set against the backdrop of Canada’s iconic Parliament Buildings, this 30-minute show created by Canadian Heritage and Montreal’s Idées au cube (id3) takes the audience on an unforgettable journey of light and sound through Canada’s history.

During Northern Lights, the Centre Block façade is flooded with light by more than 150 moving and static lighting fixtures. These include: 

• 50 automated lights, some of which can produce more than 16.5 million different hues 

• 38 low-energy LED lights which produce more than 4.2 billion different hues

Seventeen different projectors work together to turn the Centre Block into a screen more than 143 metres (470 feet) long and 30 storeys high.

This complex lighting system is controlled by two computers and more than 15 km (49,213 feet) of wiring. High-impact lighting and environmentally friendly smoke effects enhance the experience. 

For the first time, the sound and light show will also use a colour laser to punctuate transitions and add depth, making this a truly multimedia show.

The show runs until September 10.