Former Montreal & Power Company (1930) building on Hillside Avenue
http://hydroforthefuture.com/capsules/57/history
“The Great Depression (1929–1939) brought to light the abusive practices—inadequate service, high rates, exorbitant profits—of the electricity monopolies that were operating in Québec. The government was urged to intervene and to regulate a service that had become essential. On April 14, 1944, the Québec government created Hydro-Québec and gave it a mandate to manage the electric and gas facilities of the Montreal Light, Heat and Power Company. From the start, the new utility faced a formidable challenge: meeting demand that was spiraling upward at an astounding 7% per year. To cope with this growth, Hydro-Québec had to double its generating capacity every ten years until the beginning of the 1980s”.
Westmount Overlooked 