Quebec corruption unit arrests 8 in alleged Montreal municipal kickback scheme
MONTREAL — Eight people, including a former high-ranking Montreal city councillor, were arrested Tuesday and charged with running a kickback scheme whereby engineering companies would allegedly be awarded city contracts in exchange for political donations and other favours.
The investigation was conducted by Quebec’s anti-corruption unit, known as UPAC, which said in a news release it targeted about 30, mainly engineering contracts valued at $160 million, awarded by the City of Montreal between 2001-09.
UPAC alleged a network of engineering firms, elected officials and municipal workers had developed “a system of sharing contracts.”
Engineering firms were awarded $160-million worth of contracts between 2001-09 in exchange for political donations, kickbacks and “other personal favours,” UPAC said in a statement.