Summary#
Montréal city council adopted a decision to extend by 12 months its existing contract with Jardin de lumière (Richard Archambault) for maintaining the historic gardens at Cité-des-Hospitalières, 251 avenue des Pins Ouest. The goal is to continue the garden maintenance service through November 15, 2026.
- The extension covers November 16, 2025, to November 15, 2026; the garden-maintenance season is described as March 1 to November 15, 2026.
- The contractor’s listed work includes seasonal garden preparation and cleaning, horticultural care, watering, and winter preparation. The vegetable garden and lawn mowing are excluded.
- The city authorized an additional expenditure and a contingency budget. The official title states the contract total will be $331,778.25, taxes included.
What it means for you#
- City residents and taxpayers: The city will continue paying for this service from the operating budget of its Service de la gestion et de la planification des immeubles (property management and planning service). The expense is assigned to the central city.
- The contractor: Jardin de lumière must provide the contracted maintenance services during the extension. City staff report that the contractor accepted the extension and that its services have been satisfactory.
Money#
The decision authorizes spending for the extension, but the amounts in the resolution do not add up to the amount stated in the official title.
- The resolution authorizes $72,838.37, taxes included, for the services, plus $14,567.67, taxes included, for contingencies: $87,406.04 in total.
- The official title states an additional $87,406.05 and a resulting contract total of $331,778.25, taxes included. City staff’s summary also lists contingencies as $14,567.68, which would make the additional amount $87,406.05.
- The original contract was awarded after a public call for tenders that received one bid. The materials do not say whether it was the lowest compliant bid.
What is unclear#
- The resolution, official title, and staff summary differ by one cent on the contingency and additional spending amounts. The materials do not explain the discrepancy.
- The extension period began on November 16, 2025, before council adopted the decision on March 23, 2026. The materials do not explain how work or payment before adoption is handled.
- No publicly available information is provided on whether the contingency will be spent, or what approval process applies to its use.
Case for#
- City staff say the existing service is satisfactory and the contractor accepted the extension. Continuing the contract would keep the garden-maintenance service in place without a new procurement for this period.
- Staff say refusing or delaying the extension would require the city to hire specialized firms for one-off work at a higher cost.
Case against#
- The original call for tenders received only one bid, and the materials do not provide a comparison showing whether the extension price is competitive.
- The one-cent difference in the authorized amounts leaves the exact additional spending unclear.