Summary#
Montréal’s city council unanimously approved the City’s position in favour of a four-year service-loan agreement with the Sûreté du Québec (Québec provincial police), from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2029. The agreement would assign one Montréal police officer exclusively to the Sûreté du Québec’s team investigating online sexual exploitation of children; the stated goal is to support that team’s work. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting.
- The City’s police director is authorized to sign the agreement for Montréal.
- The City would keep one temporary extra police position authorized for the same period. This does not itself say how the position will be staffed.
- The City would authorize a 2025 budget addition of $126,560 in both revenue and spending, and adjust the budget base for later years.
- The Sûreté du Québec would reimburse the City for the officer’s work and eligible expenses. The City would cover the projected difference between the officer’s costs and the reimbursement.
What it means for you#
- Montréal residents: The officer would work on the provincial team’s investigations, rather than exclusively for the Montréal police service during the assignment. City staff say the team works on cases including online luring and sexual exploitation of children. The decision does not guarantee particular outcomes.
- Montréal police service: The City would keep one additional authorized police position temporarily and assign one officer to the team.
- Taxpayers: The expense is assigned to the agglomeration, which is responsible for public security. City staff say the added budget is offset by revenue, but the projected costs exceed the reimbursement.
Money#
The supplied financial table estimates $855,740 in costs and $675,000 in reimbursement over the four-year assignment, leaving a projected $180,740 contribution from the Montréal police service.
- The Sûreté du Québec would reimburse $168,750 a year in 2026, 2027 and 2028, with partial-year reimbursements of $126,560 for April–December 2025 and $42,190 for January–March 2029.
- The reimbursement also covers eligible expenses listed in the agreement; the materials do not give their estimated amount.
- City staff say the $180,740 gap is to be covered by savings from vacant positions. They also flag a risk to the police service’s salary budget.
- City staff say the budget additions will have no impact on the City’s overall financial framework.
What is unclear#
- The agreement itself and its detailed terms are not included. The decision summary says the new agreement follows the terms of an earlier one.
- The materials do not list which expenses are eligible for reimbursement or how they are approved.
- The materials do not explain how the temporary authorized position will be staffed, or how the uncovered cost might affect other police-service spending.
Case for#
- A possible argument for the decision is that assigning an officer to a specialized team could support joint investigations across police services.
- City staff say the team coordinates targeted operations and combines police expertise and resources to investigate online sexual exploitation of children.
- The Sûreté du Québec would reimburse a substantial share of the projected costs and eligible expenses.
Case against#
- One concern is that the City would still contribute an estimated $180,740, even after the reimbursement; city staff identify a risk to the police service’s salary budget.
- The decision continues the arrangement for four years, but the supplied materials do not provide the agreement’s detailed terms or explain how its results will be assessed.