The organizations behind Montreal's controversial Formula E electric car race have filed a lawsuit against the City of Montreal and its mayor, Valérie Plante, seeking $33 million in damages.

Plaintiffs Montréal, c'est électrique, the non-profit organization responsible for the event, and Formula E Operations Limited, the company that runs the circuit, claim the non-profit was forced to breach its obligations as a result of Plante's decision to cancel further editions of the race.

The 66-page lawsuit was filed Thursday in Quebec Superior Court.

Former mayor Denis Coderre had signed a contract to have Formula E races in Montreal between 2017 and 2019.

But the inaugural version of the event was heavily criticized for its downtown location, which inconvenienced residents, and its cost to taxpayers.

In December, a month after being elected mayor, Plante followed through on her campaign promise to scrap further races, which she said were heading toward "financial fiasco."

"Montrealers have made it clear that we can't waste their money on poorly planned projects that don't serve them," Plante said at the time.

Formula E issued a statement in response, saying it was "surprised and disappointed" by what they called a unilateral decision taken by the Plante administration.

In response to the lawsuit filed Thursday, Plante's administration issued a statement rejecting the claims made by Formula E.

"We intend to challenge them," the statement reads.

The city mentioned a damning report from Montreal's inspector general that concluded Coderre ignored the advice of the city's own lawyers and circumvented rules in creating Montréal, c'est électrique to run the event.

"We are convinced that we made the right decision for Montreal taxpayers," the city's statement reads.

The city said it wouldn't comment further since the issue is now before the courts.