MONTREAL - An audit by Quebec’s Municipal Affairs Department has fingered Mascouche for irregularities in its handing out of contracts, as detailed in the 40-page report issued Thursday.
A total of 74 of the 85 contracts handed out by the city between January 2009 and October 2010 -- worth $45.8 million -- were analyzed in the report.
The report found multiple violations of the Towns and Cities Act in the awarding of contracts in 2009 and 2010.
In some cases certain firms appeared to be favoured in the bidding process.
Some other contracts did not go to tender, due to apparent manipulation of categorization.
Mascouche Mayor Richard Marcotte was arrested on charges of embezzlement, fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and corruption in April. He remains mayor of the city.
Fourteen others, including Tony Accurso, were also arrested at the same time.
-With a file from The Canadian Press
