Summary#
Montréal city council unanimously adopted its position on extending the contract with Diffusion Solutions Intégrées inc. for the cloud system used to manage authorizations for waste-material dumping. It supports exercising the first 36-month extension and adding $330,478.16, taxes included, bringing the contract total to $829,643.27, taxes included. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting.
- The extension would cover October 12, 2026, to October 11, 2029, for use and maintenance of the system, including licences, technical support, updates and professional services.
- The original contract was awarded in 2022 after a public call for tenders to the bidder with the highest final score under set criteria. The materials do not say how many bids were received or whether the selected bid was the lowest.
- The first year’s prices are based on the last prices in effect, increased by 3%; prices then stay unchanged for the remaining extension period.
- The original contract includes a second 36-month extension option, which is not part of this decision.
What it means for you#
- Residents: The decision does not directly change residents’ rights, fees or waste-collection services. The system supports the city’s management of authorizations for waste-material dumping.
- City and agglomeration: City staff say the system processes more than 100,000 authorizations a year. They say continuing it would maintain existing controls, including checks using time-stamped, georeferenced photos of empty truck bins.
- Taxpayers: The agglomeration would fund the full expense. The materials do not say that this would change individual taxes.
Money#
The proposed additional spending is $330,478.16, taxes included; the full amount is to be paid by the agglomeration.
- $10,658.18, taxes included ($9,732.34 net of tax rebates), is for professional services and would be funded through the city’s 2026–2035 capital program and agglomeration borrowing bylaw RCG 22-006.
- $319,819.98, taxes included ($292,038.27 net of tax rebates), is for operating costs charged to the city’s information technology service budget.
- Licence costs would be billed monthly; professional support would be billed as used.
What is unclear#
- The materials do not compare extending the contract with replacing the system or describe its performance in detail.
- They do not state how many bids were received in the 2022 tender.
- The amount allocated to professional support may change with actual needs and budgets.
Case for#
- City staff say extending the contract would avoid interruption to authorization services and maintain an established system.
- Staff say the system supports automated work, consistent practices across the agglomeration’s 33 territories, and checks against fraud, duplicate records and unauthorized dumping.
- The extension option was included in the original public tender, and the supplier has agreed to extend the contract.
Case against#
- The extension commits the agglomeration to a further three years of spending. The materials do not compare that cost with replacing the system.
- The original contract was awarded to the highest-scoring bidder, not necessarily the lowest-priced one; the materials do not provide the bids or explain how the prices compare with alternatives.
- Part of the professional-services spending depends on actual use, so that portion may vary.