Summary#
Montréal city council unanimously approved Alain Dufort’s appointment as the City’s director general for four years starting August 17, 2026. It also authorized the mayor and City clerk to sign his employment contract. City staff say the appointment is intended to fill the role after the current director general’s announced departure.
- Dufort’s annual base salary is $380,000 from the start of his appointment, with increases in later years tied to the economic increases granted to City managers.
- The contract provides six weeks of vacation in advance and group insurance, except for long-term disability insurance.
- The City may end his employment at any time by paying 12 months’ salary, or the remaining contract period if that is less than 12 months.
- Other working conditions are those for City managers, as they may change over time, and the employment contract.
What it means for you#
- City administration: City staff describe the director general as the City’s chief official, responsible under the authority of the mayor, executive committee and council for planning, organizing, directing and overseeing municipal activities.
- Residents: The decision appoints a senior City official. It does not directly change residents’ services, rights, fees or taxes.
- Taxpayers: The City will use operating-budget funds from the Direction générale to cover the required costs.
Money#
The decision assigns the necessary credits to the Direction générale’s operating budget, but gives no total cost estimate.
- Base salary starts at $380,000 a year and is indexed in later years as described above.
- The City may owe compensation if it ends the employment early: 12 months’ salary or the shorter remaining contract period.
- The materials do not give the total cost of salary, benefits and other contract terms over four years.
What is unclear#
- The employment contract is referenced as an attachment, but its full text is not included in the supplied material.
- The material does not state how salary increases will be calculated in dollars or give a total four-year cost.
- It does not set out specific performance goals or review arrangements for the director general.
Case for#
- City staff say Dufort has more than 35 years of management experience, including senior roles at Montréal from 2007 to 2024 and as director general of the Réseau de transport de Longueuil.
- His past work in Montréal’s administration could help him take on the role with knowledge of the City’s operations, according to the staff summary.
Case against#
- The contract includes a substantial potential early-termination payment, but the supplied material does not explain how that term would be applied.
- The total public cost is unclear because the material does not give the full contract or a four-year estimate.