MONTRÉAL — A Quebec engineering firm is helping drive the technological backbone of one of the world’s largest live music productions, as Montréal-based Show Canada provides advanced stage structures and automation systems for Ed Sheeran’s new global “Loop Tour.”
The company, known for designing complex performance infrastructure, engineered several of the tour’s key scenic elements, including a massive telescopic bridge that allows the British singer-songwriter to move between two stages during performances. The project highlights the growing international presence of Canadian engineering expertise in large-scale entertainment productions.
Show Canada designed a 173-foot telescopic bridge that functions as a dynamic pathway between the tour’s main and secondary stages. The structure allows Sheeran to travel seamlessly across the venue mid-performance, forming one of the production’s most striking visual and technical features.
To meet the demanding requirements of a global stadium tour, the company’s in-house industrial design and engineering teams developed a custom bridge system stabilized by a 25,000-pound counterweight. The system is powered by a precision winch equipped with a 30-inch drum, enabling controlled movement and secure operation throughout each performance.
The bridge is fully integrated into the broader stage environment. According to the company, both the primary and secondary stages are supported by ten high-capacity scissor lifts, which help manage height changes and stage transitions during the show. A fully automated trap door system built into the main stage floor allows the telescopic bridge to deploy and retract smoothly, ensuring reliable operation during the tour’s complex production sequences.
“Projects of this scale demand absolute precision, creativity, and trust,” said Jean Labadie, President of Show Canada. “Our role is to translate bold artistic vision into engineering reality in a way that is safe, seamless, and ready for a global touring standard. We are incredibly proud that Quebec expertise is helping power one of the most ambitious live productions in the world today.”
The Montréal-based company has built a reputation over more than two decades for designing specialized structures and automation systems used in major entertainment events, stadium installations and architectural projects worldwide.
Founded in 1999, Show Canada Industries has expanded its international footprint under Labadie’s leadership. The firm has collaborated with global entertainment companies including Disney, Universal and Cirque du Soleil, providing engineering and design support for complex stage productions and themed attractions.
Its work has also been featured in several high-profile global events. The company has contributed engineering solutions for four Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, beginning with the Vancouver Winter Games and continuing through later international events including Rio de Janeiro.
Beyond live touring and ceremonies, Show Canada’s expertise has been incorporated into several prominent architectural and entertainment developments. Among the projects cited by the company are installations at the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and the large-scale theatre doors at the TSX Broadway development in New York City.
The Ed Sheeran “Loop Tour” represents one of the latest examples of the company’s involvement in global live productions, which increasingly rely on advanced mechanical systems and automated stage architecture to create immersive audience experiences.
The tour launched earlier this year in New Zealand before moving through Australia during February and March. North American dates are scheduled to begin in June, with several major stadium stops planned across the continent.
Among them are three nights scheduled in Toronto this August, bringing the technologically complex production — and its Canadian-engineered stage systems — to one of the country’s largest live music markets.
Industry observers note that the growing scale of international touring productions has increased demand for specialized engineering expertise, particularly in areas such as automation, structural design and mobile performance infrastructure.
For companies like Show Canada, that demand has created opportunities to export Canadian technical knowledge to some of the world’s most ambitious entertainment projects.
Through its Montréal-based facilities and multidisciplinary teams, the company continues to develop custom engineering solutions that support large-scale creative productions. By combining industrial design, mechanical engineering and automation technology, Show Canada aims to translate complex artistic concepts into reliable systems capable of operating in venues around the world.
With its role in Sheeran’s global tour, the firm says it is continuing to demonstrate how Canadian innovation can help shape the future of live entertainment on the international stage.