Summary#
Montréal city council approved a direct-award contract with Hydro-Québec for electrical connections for 200 planned street-side electric-vehicle charging stations in 2027–2028. The maximum cost is $3,782,141.33, taxes included; city staff say the goal is to expand public charging access.
- Hydro-Québec is the exclusive supplier, so the city awarded the contract without a call for tenders.
- The work is planned for about 100 sites in 19 boroughs. Hydro-Québec must provide a cost estimate for each site and get the city’s approval before doing that site’s work.
- Costs of $36,000 or less per site are accepted under the stated rules. Costs of $36,000 or more get further review before acceptance or rejection.
- The city authorized its infrastructure-project director to sign acceptance letters for the work.
- This decision covers connections, not the separate purchase or installation contracts for the charging stations.
What it means for you#
- Residents and charging-station users: The decision supports connections for 200 planned stations. It does not itself install the stations or guarantee when each one will be ready.
- City residents and taxpayers: The city’s central administration will cover the expense in 2027 and 2028, 50% in each year. The materials do not say how any borrowing costs will be paid.
- City administration: It must approve each site’s work before Hydro-Québec proceeds there. Higher-cost sites require further review.
Money#
The contract has a maximum cost of $3,782,141.33, taxes included.
- City staff say $3,453,599.15, net of tax rebates, will be funded through an existing borrowing bylaw for acquiring and installing charging stations.
- The city will pay after receiving invoices following the stations’ start of operation.
- No separate estimate of actual final spending is given; the approved amount is a maximum.
What is unclear#
- The materials do not identify the sites or give the cost estimate for each one.
- The rules overlap at exactly $36,000: one says costs at or below that amount are accepted, while the other says costs at or above it receive further review.
- The materials do not explain the detailed criteria for the further review or how the city will assess whether a site’s cost is acceptable.
Case for#
- City staff say the contract is part of expanding public charging access, with 200 more stations planned across 19 boroughs.
- The work must be done before the stations can operate, and staff say Hydro-Québec may take up to 18 months to complete connections.
- Site-by-site estimates and approval give the city a chance to examine higher-cost connections before work proceeds.
Case against#
- A direct award means there is no call for tenders or competing bids to test the price; the materials identify Hydro-Québec as the exclusive supplier.
- City staff say sites farther from connection points and more overhead connections are increasing costs. The decision commits up to $3.78 million, but the materials do not show the individual site costs.
- The review rules for higher-cost sites are not fully explained, and the stated thresholds overlap at exactly $36,000.