Summary#
Montréal city council approved a contract with Les Innovations CR34TE inc. to supply, install and technically operate equipment for Jardins de lumière at the Jardin botanique de Montréal. The council adopted the decision unanimously on June 15, 2026. City staff say the goal is to deliver the event’s lighting installations in three areas of the garden.
- The contract is for $153,117.96, taxes included. The company was the lowest compliant bidder in a public call for tenders.
- The work covers the entrance and perimeter path, the aquatic garden and the Japanese garden. It includes equipment rental and supply, installation, programming, technical follow-up and operation, coordination, power and data distribution, and dismantling.
- The event is scheduled for September 3 to November 1, 2026; dismantling is scheduled for November 2.
What it means for you#
- Visitors: The contract supports the scheduled lighting installations in the three named areas. The decision does not set or change admission prices.
- Les Innovations CR34TE inc.: The company receives the contract and must provide the work described in the tender documents.
- Taxpayers: The city pays the full cost from its operating budget.
Money#
The contract costs $153,117.96, taxes included.
- City staff say the expense is in Espace pour la vie’s operating budget and will be paid 100% by the Ville centre. Staff say it has no impact on the city’s financial framework.
- Two compliant bids were received. The winning bid was $17,809.62, or 12%, below the city’s estimate of $170,927.58. The other bid was $322,442.79, taxes included.
What is unclear#
- The materials do not state a separate contract term or any renewal options.
- They do not give projected attendance or revenue for the 2026 event.
Case for#
- The winning bid was the lowest compliant one and below the city’s estimate. City staff say the contractor had done similar work the previous year and that longer equipment rental helped lower the price.
- City staff say the event draws visitors and brings in revenue for Espace pour la vie; they say it could not take place without this contract.
Case against#
- Only two bids were received, although four companies requested the tender documents. That gives the city a limited basis for comparing prices; the second bid was much higher than the winning bid.
- The decision approves the spending, but the supplied materials do not report the event’s eventual attendance or revenue.