Summary#
Montréal city council unanimously adopted a position recommending a contract for work in the Grand parc de l’Ouest (West Park); this is not yet the final contract award. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting. City staff say the work aims to reduce ash-borer infestation, protect infrastructure and keep park users safe.
- The proposed contract is with Entrepreneur Paysagiste Strathmore (1997) ltée, for 2026 to 2028, at Cap-Saint-Jacques in the Grand parc de l’Ouest.
- It covers cutting down ash trees and other declining trees, along with handling the wood and debris and restoring the work sites. About 9,000 trees are expected to be cut.
- The proposed total is $1,713,041.27, taxes included: $1,370,433.02 for the bid, $137,043.30 for contingencies and $205,564.95 for changes in quantities.
- The contract was sought through a public call for tenders. Five bids were submitted; Strathmore was the lowest compliant bidder. The city council’s position also calls for an evaluation of the company’s performance.
What it means for you#
- Park users: If the agglomeration council approves the contract, work is expected to run from fall 2026 to early summer 2028. City staff say the work is intended to improve safety; the contract also includes measures to protect the public and natural areas.
- Residents and taxpayers: The council has adopted a position supporting the spending, but this decision alone is not the final contract award. It does not directly change taxes, residents’ rights or park access rules.
Money#
The proposed total spending is $1,713,041.27, taxes included; no separate cost estimate is given for this lot in the resolution.
- The contingency and quantity-change budgets together add $342,608.25 to the bid amount.
- The supplied material does not state the funding source beyond referring to financial information in the decision file.
What is unclear#
- The supplied material does not explain how individual trees are selected for removal or detail the expected ecological effects.
- It does not give a schedule for work at specific locations or say whether parts of the park will be closed.
- The agglomeration council’s decision is not included in the supplied material, so the contract’s final approval is not known here.
Case for#
- City staff say the work is needed to address ash-borer impacts, protect infrastructure and improve safety near park paths and facilities.
- The bid is about 38% below the city’s estimate for this lot. Staff say the site’s more predictable work and the contractor’s past experience there may help explain the lower price.
- The contract includes site-restoration and natural-area protection requirements, as well as supervision and penalties for failures to meet the specifications.
Case against#
- Cutting about 9,000 trees is a substantial change to the park’s wooded areas; the supplied material does not detail the expected effects or how those effects will be assessed.
- The bid is well below the estimate. Although staff offer possible reasons, the materials do not say whether that price difference could create challenges during the work.
- The city’s broader tender also had no compliant bid for urgent, short-notice work in another lot. Staff say they may use an invited tender if that need arises, but this contract does not cover it.