Water meter report prompts investigation

The City of Montreal has opened an investigation after an internal auditor failed to provide a certificate attesting that the awarding of the city’s $355-million water meter contract was done according to proper procedure.

The city confirmed the news after its auditor general, Jacques Bergeron, released a supplemental report into the awarding of the controversial contract at Monday night’s city council meeting.

In the report, Bergeron said he could not explain why the internal auditor responsible, Denis Savard, did not turn in the certificate.

Montreal's director of professional relations, Jean-Yves Hinse, said the city is looking into the matter.

"He was supposed to supervise the process and he was supposed to table the report, but he didn't do it," Hinse said. "As soon as we'll have answer about why he didn't table his report, we'll meet the press and tell what's the real story behind that."

Projet Montreal Leader Richard Bergeron said the latest report underlines the problems at city hall.

"What we learned … it was a mess, all that process," Bergeron said.

Savard has left the auditor general’s office, and now works for the city’s human resources department.

Mayor Gérald Tremblay cancelled the water meter contract, the biggest ever awarded by the city, in September following the release of the auditor’s initial report.

Bergeron’s investigation, launched following allegations of conflict of interest in the awarding of the contract, said it was awarded too hastily, was too ambitious and too expensive.