Summary#
Montréal city council adopted a position supporting a six-month extension of two existing food-waste treatment contracts with Recyclage Notre-Dame inc. and an additional $3,269,055.43 in spending, taxes included. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting. The stated goal is to keep treatment available for food waste from the eastern part of the agglomeration while Montréal’s own facility is being brought into operation.
- The extension would cover an estimated 18,475 tonnes of food waste.
- The contracts cover receiving and loading the waste, transporting it to treatment sites, and composting it. The contractor is responsible for managing the compost and any biogas produced.
- The two contract amounts are $1,611,058.44 for Lot 1 and $1,657,996.99 for Lot 2, taxes included. The total contract amount would rise to $10,460,977.38, taxes included.
- The City may end the contracts on 30 days’ written notice if its Montréal-Est treatment centre is fully operational earlier.
What it means for you#
- Residents in the eastern part of the agglomeration: City staff say the extension would help keep food-waste treatment available. It does not change what residents may put in their collection bins; accepted materials remain governed by existing rules.
- Taxpayers in the agglomeration: The added spending would be paid entirely by the agglomeration. The decision does not set a new household fee.
- Residents generally: This is a contract extension, not a new collection program or a change to residents’ collection obligations.
Money#
The proposed additional spending is $3,269,055.43, taxes included; the final agglomeration council decision is still required.
- The cost would come from the operating budget of the City’s Environment Department and be paid 100% by the agglomeration.
- The contracts have no price adjustment for inflation.
- The original public call for tenders received one bid. This extension uses an option in those contracts, rather than awarding a new contract through a new tender.
What is unclear#
- The decision summary gives different end dates: it says the service may be needed until August 31, 2026, but lists September 30, 2026 as the contract end date.
- The summary describes composting at external sites but does not say how much waste would be composted versus treated by biomethanization (a process that produces biogas).
- The actual amount of waste to be treated may differ from the 18,475-tonne forecast; the materials do not explain how that would affect the final cost.
Case for#
- A possible argument for the extension is that it could prevent a break in food-waste treatment while Montréal’s own facility is not yet fully operational.
- The contracts allow the City to end the extension on 30 days’ notice if that facility is ready sooner.
- The extension uses an existing contract option, avoiding an immediate gap while a new public tender is arranged.
Case against#
- The added spending is substantial: it is 45.5% of the original total contract amount, according to the decision summary.
- Only one bid was received for the original contracts; the materials do not provide a comparison with other prices or alternatives for this extension.
- The unclear end date and lack of detail on the treatment method make it harder to assess how long the service is needed and what the spending will buy.