A pair or Canadian companies have joined forces to ask the Olympic Installations Board to reconsider its plans for a new fixed roof for Montreal's Olympic Stadium.

Montreal engineering firm Dessau has teamed up with Ontario-based EllisDon to submit a new proposal to the OIB – one that would allow for the construction of a retractable roof.

In 2005, the OIB accepted a plan by SNC Lavalin for a new fixed roof – one estimated to cost $300-million.

In June of this year, the OIB partially reopened the process because of certain changes in financing rules for the future roof.

Two companies presented declarations of interest, including the EllisDon-Dessau group.

However, in addition to presenting plans for a fixed roof, it also proposed an alternate plan for a retractable roof, conceptualized by French designer François Delaney.

"We are only bringing for discussion the possibility that can be evaluated by the population, the government," says Frederic Sauriol, V.P of national development of Dessau.

The partners say their plans for a retractable roof would reinforce the entire structure, and make the stadium much more attractive.

"It would make it in line with the other stadiums," says Serge Vezina, Dessau's V.P. of Engineering. "Most of the new stadiums do have the feature of a retractable roof," he adds.

As for how it would work, the roof would operate using the force of gravity and compressed air - translating to reduced energy demands.

Cost is not something that the consortium is willing to discuss at this stage, but its spokesmen do say that their retractable roof plan would come at a competitive cost, in terms of the SNC-Lavalin deal.

At this point, the OIB has no stated intent to change its roof plans, especially not to allow for a retractable version.

However, in the next couple of weeks, an independent committee will review the new ideas and recommend whether or not the call for tenders should be reopened to allow companies still interested in the contract to submit official bids.

If it does suggest such a move, it will be up to politicians and the OIB to decide if they return to the idea of a retractable roof.

The Olympic Stadium's first roof could be removed and replaced, but cost taxpayers $44.2 million and did not function well.

The second fixed roof came with a $37 million price tag - although the Quebec government got some money back after a partial roof collapse.