Summary#
Montréal city council adopted a decision awarding Anne Lagacé a direct-award contract for the 2026 Jardins de Lumière event at the Jardin botanique. It covers designing, producing, installing and dismantling multimedia artworks, plus technical support during the event. City staff say the goal is to renew the experience in the Jardin des Premières-Nations.
- The commission is for the “Résonances” installation in the Jardin des Premières-Nations.
- The design team includes Indigenous artists Marie-Andrée Gill, Soleil Launière and Euroma Awashish, as well as Anne Lagacé and Gonzalo Soldi.
- The city awarded the contract directly after a call for proposals. The materials do not say how many proposals were received.
What it means for you#
- Visitors: The decision funds a new multimedia installation for the 2026 event. It does not set admission prices or change access rules.
- Anne Lagacé and her project team: They are to deliver the design, production, installation, dismantling and event-period technical support under the approved agreement.
- City taxpayers: The expense is assigned to the central city and Espace pour la vie’s operating budget.
Money#
The resolution awards $574,696.75, taxes included; the staff summary gives a slightly different total.
- The staff summary says the contract’s net amount is $499,845, with a 100% tax rebate, and that five payments will be made in 2026.
- Staff also say the Jardin botanique will receive an $80,000 contribution from the Fondation Espace pour la vie. They say the expense is entirely borne by the central city.
- The decision summary lists earlier event contracts of $377,590.54 in 2025 and $402,621.02 in 2024. The materials do not establish whether those contracts covered the same scope.
What is unclear#
- The resolution’s amount is $574,696.75, while the title and staff summary say $574,696.79.
- The materials do not explain how the $80,000 foundation contribution relates to the city’s stated contract expense.
- They do not give the number of proposals received or a comparison of their prices.
- The summary says the event is expected to open August 28, 2026, but its later schedule lists dates from 2025. The full delivery schedule is unclear.
Case for#
- City staff say the Jardin des Premières-Nations installation had not been renewed since 2021, and that rotating updates can help keep the event attractive.
- The project includes Indigenous artists and is intended to present new immersive work connecting art, science, technology and emotion.
- Staff say that without this contract, the garden’s illumination for the event could not go ahead.
Case against#
- A direct award after a call for proposals does not show readers how many proposals competed or how the chosen price compared with alternatives.
- The amount is higher than the earlier contract amounts listed, but the materials do not explain the difference or confirm that the scopes are comparable.
- The amount discrepancy and unclear relationship between the city expense and foundation contribution make the total funding picture harder to assess.