Summary#
Montréal city council unanimously adopted an orientation supporting a contract for architectural and engineering services for renovations to fire station 43 in Ahuntsic-Cartierville. It supports awarding the contract to Les architectes Labonté Marcil s.e.n.c.; the agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting.
- The proposed contract is for $696,909.45, taxes included, with a further $139,381.89 for contingencies and $104,536.42 for other project needs. Together, these make the authorized total $940,827.76, taxes included.
- The work would include preparing plans and tender documents, coordinating studies, and overseeing the renovation. City staff say the project includes replacing damaged sections of the garage slab and masonry and partly rearranging interior spaces.
- The contract is for September 10, 2026, to June 23, 2029. No renewal option is stated.
- Four bids were submitted, and all four passed the 70% threshold for opening their price bids. The resolution describes the selected firm as having the highest final score.
What it means for you#
- Residents: The decision does not directly change a public service or residents’ rights. The renovation concerns a fire station used by Montréal’s fire service.
- Fire service and station occupants: If the contract is approved, the firm would provide design and engineering services and oversee the planned work. City staff say the work is intended to address building deterioration and improve conditions and energy performance.
- The selected firm: It would receive the professional-services contract at its bid price, subject to the agglomeration council’s decision. The resolution also directs that its performance be evaluated.
- Taxpayers: The decision assigns the full expense to the agglomeration, not just the borough.
Money#
The total authorized expense is $940,827.76, taxes included; the material does not give the full cost of the renovation work.
- The base contract is $696,909.45, taxes included ($636,371.22 net of tax rebates).
- Contingencies are $139,381.89, taxes included ($127,274.25 net of tax rebates). The decision summary describes this as 20% of the base contract.
- Other project needs are budgeted at $104,536.42, taxes included ($95,455.69 net of tax rebates). The summary describes this as 15% of the base contract.
- The expense is assigned to the agglomeration and financed through borrowing bylaw RCG 24-018. The planned spending is 40% in 2026, 30% in 2027, and 30% in 2028.
What is unclear#
- The staff summary’s bid table lists a score of 83.7% for Groupe Leclerc Architecture + Design and 83.3% for the selected firm. It does not explain whether those figures are the same “final score” referred to in the resolution.
- The total cost of construction and the full renovation is not given. No publicly available information.
- The decision summary describes the contingency and other-needs budgets, but does not say how much of them will be spent.
- The materials do not state whether the contract has renewal options.
Case for#
- City staff say the building is seriously deteriorated: inspections found problems with the garage slab and masonry, and some uses of the site have been limited.
- The proposed services cover design, tender preparation, and construction oversight, which could provide coordinated professional support for the renovation.
- The selected firm’s bid was $696,909.45, the lowest base price among the four bids shown. Staff estimate that the selected firm’s total, including contingencies, is 16.67% below their estimate.
Case against#
- The stated total covers professional services and related budgets, not the full cost of the renovation. The eventual overall cost to the agglomeration is therefore unclear.
- The decision summary does not reconcile the score in its bid table with the resolution’s claim that the selected firm had the highest final score.
- The contingency and other-needs budgets raise the authorized amount above the base contract, while the materials do not say how much of those allowances will be used.