City Hall contract adds $114k contingency

Summary#

Montréal city council unanimously adopted a position supporting an additional $113,996.31, taxes included, for electrical, lighting and related work at Montréal City Hall. It is an orientation for the agglomeration council, which makes the final decision at a later meeting.

  • The added amount is contingency budget for lot L2604, under the contract with Les installations électriques Pichette inc.
  • It would raise the total contract amount from $1,237,968.94 to $1,351,965.25, taxes included.
  • The original contract was awarded after a public call for tenders; one bid met the requirements.

What it means for you#

  • Residents and taxpayers: The decision does not directly change residents’ rights, services, fees or taxes. It supports extra spending on work at City Hall.
  • The contractor: If the added contingency budget is approved and used, the existing contract amount can rise. The decision does not say that the full additional amount will be paid.
  • City Hall: City staff say the wider restoration project aims to maintain the building, address health and safety needs, and reduce risks of technical failures.

Money#

The city council’s position supports an additional contingency budget of $113,996.31, taxes included.

  • The proposed total contract amount would be $1,351,965.25, taxes included.
  • No publicly available information gives the expected amount actually spent from this contingency budget.

What is unclear#

  • No publicly available information explains why this additional contingency amount is needed or what specific work it would cover.
  • The materials do not say how much of the contingency budget is expected to be used.

Case for#

  • A possible case for the added budget is that it can support the specified electrical and lighting work within the City Hall restoration project.
  • City staff say the wider project is intended to address health and safety needs and reduce risks of technical failures.

Case against#

  • The materials do not explain the reason for the increase or how the amount was calculated, making it hard to judge whether it is justified.
  • The original tender received one compliant bid; the materials do not discuss alternatives to adding contingency funding to that contract.