On June 15, 2026, the provincial Inspector General’s office announced an investigation into possible misconduct surrounding the award of a contract to refurbish the pool at Centre Claude‑Robillard in Montreal. The inquiry focuses on an Italian water‑equipment supplier that secured the renovation contract amid allegations of improper influence over the tender process.
The contract was managed by an engineering consulting firm tasked with overseeing the pool‑renovation project. According to the investigation, a privileged contact within that consulting firm is alleged to have helped shape the request for proposals in a manner that advantaged the Italian supplier. The alleged actions suggest that the tender specifications may have been tailored to meet the supplier’s offerings rather than being drawn up through a neutral competitive process.
Officials from the Bureau of the Inspector General (BIG) identified the potential conflict of interest and initiated a review of the procurement procedures. The investigation seeks to determine whether the supplier’s involvement in the tender design violated public procurement rules and whether the consulting firm’s internal communications reflect undue assistance to the supplier.
Centre Claude‑Robillard’s pool renovation is a publicly funded project intended to upgrade facilities for community use. The contract’s award to a foreign supplier has drawn scrutiny because it raises questions about the transparency of the selection process and the adherence to established procurement guidelines for municipal projects.
The Inspector General’s office has not released any conclusions at this stage. The inquiry remains open, and officials indicated that further findings will be communicated as they become available. The outcome of the investigation could affect the future of the renovation work and may lead to additional reviews of procurement practices for similar public works in Montreal.