Montreal inspector general flags “restricted competition” in pothole repair contracts

After a punishing winter, Montrealers are facing a surge of large potholes across the city. While crews work to keep up with repairs, the city’s inspector general says part of the problem may lie in how contracts are awarded.

In a report released Monday, the inspector general found that Montreal has been “restricting competition” in its tendering process for pothole repair work.

In a statement to CityNews, Bureau de l’inspecteur general (BIG) said:

“During a call for tenders issued by Montreal last summer on this matter, my office met with the contracting authority and recommended that the tender documents be revised, as the technical requirements were such that only one company was able to submit a bid. The contracting authority had based its specifications on a previous call for tenders that had been in effect for a three-year period and issued by another business unit.

It was the contracting authority itself that chose to cancel its call for tenders in order to revise it and ensure greater market openness. The City has every interest in opening the market as much as possible, particularly in order to benefit from better pricing.”

The findings come as Montreal deals with a record number of potholes this season. With spring thaw underway, road conditions in many areas continue to deteriorate. BIG says it will closely monitor how future contracts are awarded to ensure a more efficient and competitive process.

City officials say they made two attempts to secure new contracts but were unable to find bidders that met the requirements. As a result, Montreal began the year without its usual contract for mechanical pothole repairs after it expired in December.

Facing worsening road conditions, the city moved to award 10 privately negotiated contracts for manual repairs. Officials say those agreements have allowed crews to patch roughly 15,000 potholes so far.

Montreal currently operates four automated pothole repair machines and announced plans last week to purchase two more, expected to be in service by 2027. The city is also creating two new teams of blue-collar workers dedicated to maintaining major roads.

As repairs ramp up, the inspector general’s report raises broader questions about whether changes to the contracting process could help the city respond more quickly and cost-effectively to the growing problem.