City approves extra gas-work cost on Saint-Antoine

Summary#

Montréal City Council adopted a position supporting an additional $34,747.41, taxes included, for Énergir’s gas-network work on Saint-Antoine Street in the Sud-Ouest borough. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting. City staff say the extra work helped keep the wider street project on schedule.

  • The added amount raises Énergir’s contract from $203,403.65 to $238,151.06, taxes included. Énergir was hired directly as the sole supplier.
  • The work covered moving a gas pipe, renewing 16 building connections, and abandoning the existing network within the work area.
  • The main infrastructure contract went to Loiselle inc. through a public call for tenders with five bids. This decision concerns the separate Énergir contract, not an increase to Loiselle’s contract.
  • City staff say the work is complete and no further increase is expected for this file.

What it means for you#

  • Residents and taxpayers: If the agglomeration council approves the position, Montréal will pay the additional amount. City staff say the city’s share of the Énergir work is 50%.
  • People using Saint-Antoine Street: The decision concerns completed gas-network work between du Couvent and De Courcelle streets. It does not itself change residents’ rights or create a new service.

Money#

The proposed additional expense is $34,747.41, taxes included; city staff estimate its net cost after federal and provincial tax rebates at $31,729.02.

  • The expense is to be funded through the agglomeration borrowing bylaw RCG 23-004, for cycling improvements. City staff say the amount is covered in the city’s capital program.
  • The earlier Énergir amount was $203,403.65, taxes included. The increase is 17.08% of that initial amount.

What is unclear#

  • The detailed Énergir invoice is said to be attached to the decision file, but it is not included in the supplied materials, so the individual cost items cannot be checked here.
  • The materials do not explain how the extra costs were checked or approved in detail.

Case for#

  • City staff say extra mobilizations and longer workdays, including weekend work, were needed to fit the gas work around the wider project.
  • Staff say accelerating the work kept the overall project on schedule.

Case against#

  • The expense exceeded the original estimate by $34,747.41, a 17.08% increase.
  • The extra mobilizations and longer hours were partly needed to avoid delays to the wider project; the materials do not provide a detailed invoice breakdown to assess those added costs.