In 2011 the small town of Montreal West decided to install 16 speed bumps along two streets.

How those contracts were listed for tender has raised many questions among people who are observing the process.

When the town initially put the contract up for bids, two companies came forward with very different estimates for the cost.

Canbec, already known for similar work in Montreal West, said it could build the speed bumps for about $4,000 each.

Pavages Dorval said it could do the work for much less: $2,364 per bump.

Instead of awarding the contract to the lowest bidder the council decided to cut the contract in half, and proceed with only eight bumps.

It asked for new bids and this time both companies revised their offer.

Canbec dropped its price by one-third to $2,675 per bump, while Pavages Dorval increased its price slightly to $2,750 per bump.

This time the town decided to go ahead and award the contract to Canbec.

"When the bids come in we give the contract to the lowest bidder. That's the way it is," said Mayor Benny Massella.

 

Towns and cities don't have to pick lowest bidder

However a spokesperson for the province says the notion that towns and cities must always award contracts to the lowest bidder is false.

According to the province, contracts under $25,000, or for emergency work, can be awarded to any company a town chooses -- even without a bidding process.

Most infrastructure contracts in Montreal West go to Canbec. From 2009 until 2012 the firm was awarded 53 of 65 contracts, most of which Mayor Massella says were for emergency work.

"When you talk about a water break you don't have the luxury to wait and wait for another day. You've got to go get the work done and that's it," said Massella.

But the speed bumps were not an emergency, and many people -- including councillors -- are questioning why the contract was changed after the initial bid.

Julie Tasker-Brown wrote an email to the mayor and the caucus questioning the decision.

"I was disappointed that the town went with Canbec because this was an opportunity to use another contractor as they did not have to follow provincial regulations to take the lowest bid," wrote Tasker-Brown.

Retired civil engineer Asher Waldman was also suspicious.

"On a total job Canbec came down $20,000, this guy came up $7,000. Why?" said Waldman.

"What's funny is how come they didn't give the job to the other contractor [after the first bid]"

 

Canbec is owned by a Montreal West resident

Canbec is owned by Rick Andreoli, a Montreal West resident, but Massella says that has nothing to do with his company's success.

"Most of the time when we go out to tender they're the ones that come in with the lowest tender. They're the ones who get the work," said Massella.

But many want to know more about Andreoli, especially after he was spotted at the Consenza Club in Dec. 2005.

"Of course the question might arise -- what happened here?" said Waldman.

A provincial police investigator told the Charbonneau Commission how Andreoli was seen affectionately being greeted by Francesco Arcadi, a known member of the Rizzuto clan.

Mayor Massella said that appearance does have him wondering if Montreal West was involved in bid-rigging.

"I don't think you can bury your head in the sand. I think in the past things did go on, things that were probably going on outside our town, outside the little towns, things were going on and it affected, it dripped down to us as well," said Massella.

But for now Masella says he has to let Charbonneau Commission do its work, and notes that no charges or sanctions have been laid against Canbec.

"And if not, do we go ahead and continue doing our work? I think that's the questions we kind of answered, we've asked ourselves," said Massella.

In the last two years Canbec has not won as many public contracts in Montreal West and has not been the lowest bidder.

After UPAC began investigating Genivar, the engineering firm the town had relied on for several years, the town hired a different engineering firm based in Sherbrooke.