Partys to$ 1 Million “forgotten” in the budget of the 375th anniversary

Laurence Houde-Roy and
Andrea Valeria

Monday, 26 February, 2018 01:00

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Monday, 26 February, 2018 01:00

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As if a budget of 125 million dollars for the celebrations of the 375th anniversary was not enough, he took the City of Montreal draws another million in the pockets of the taxpayers in charge of parties, awards ceremonies and promotional activities.

Our Office of investigation had to search through a list of almost 102 000 bills to discover these expenditures 966 195 $ well hidden in the operating budget of the City.

These amounts had not been counted in the official budget of the celebrations of the 375th anniversary and were, therefore, allowed to the room by municipal officials.

Thus, one discovers that, on may 17, 2017, while Montrealers were watching the illumination of the Jacques-Cartier bridge in the rain along the river, guests of the ex-mayor Denis Coderre admired the show well in the dry, under a tent set up near the large glass hall of the Belvedere in Old Montreal.

Several personalities from the worlds of politics, business and cultural were invited to this private party of the mayor, who claimed $ 225,000 of public money, with alcohol, buffets, luxurious, and even a dessert to $4000.

Our in-depth review of the expenditures of the City shows that Montreal has picked up in the entire discretion of the dozens of similar bills related to the festivities.

Taken individually, these bills are all less than 100 000 $, which explains that the City has not been obliged to run public tenders.

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The official budget repeatedly announced the celebrations for the 375th was $ 125 million. These expenses, financed by the City, the governments of Québec and Canada, as well as about a dozen private companies, have been managed by a company created especially for the occasion and directed by Gilbert Rozon.

Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin

Gilbert Rozon

Responsible for the festivities

Why not have included the costs of these parties and ceremonies in the official budget ? The question remains unanswered.

The boss of Just for laugh has not been able to make its balance sheet. He is gone before the end of the celebrations, carried away by a scandal of sexual misconduct alleged. Gilbert Rozon has also declined our interview request.

Joined briefly on the phone, the ex-mayor Denis Coderre has politely refused to grant us an interview. This last has for its part been swept away by the wave which has seen his opponent Valérie Plant access to the city hall, in November.

In official documents that we were able to consult, the City justifies laconically, having paid out of his pocket because she wanted to organize “itself” these events.

It is as well that it has warranted, inter alia, of bills totaling $ 12 966 $ for the purchase of sparkling wine and liquors alcoholic.

The ceremonies in extra

Among the other celebrations paid to the room with the operating budget of the City is the inauguration ceremonies of several ” legacies of the 375th anniversary “, these infrastructure projects were inaugurated in 2017 :

■ The inauguration of the new entrance to the city “, after the demolition of the Bonaventure expressway, which cost 206 712 $.

■ The launch event for the park, Frederick’s-Back, in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, has cost nearly $220,000.

■ The launch of the famous promenade River-Mountain cost $ 70 000 in public funds.

■ These amounts include the realization of commercials, videos and promotional material of all kinds.

The costs of these activities were not included in the final costs of these “legacies” that have been made public, we have confirmed with the City.

►You can communicate confidentially with our Office of investigation, by sending an email to jean-louis.fortin@quebecormedia.com

A memorable feast

Photo courtesy

Gregory Charles has been offered a performance at the private party held with the fund public on may 17.

Organized at a cost of $ 225,000, the launch party of the celebrations of the 375th was attended by about 700 dignitaries of the gratin montreal, chosen on the pane according to criteria that are undefined to this day.

A buffet has been prepared by a native chief, and the catering service of a restaurant.

Photo courtesy

Circus performers entertained the guests during the reception at the Belvedere of the Old Port.

It is the artist Gregory Charles, DJ private, who moderated the evening in the room Belvedere in Old Montreal.

The artistic concept and the preparation of the “visual” part of the evening the mayor, videos and projections on the walls of the room, have cost 22 371 $ for the taxpayers of montreal.

Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin

France Chrétien Desmarais, president of the Society of the 375th anniversary, the maestro Kent Nagano and the ex-mayor Denis Coderre attended the celebration of 17 may.

Finally, to ensure that guests do not look at the illumination of the Jacques-Cartier bridge in the rain, the City has spent 17 696 $ to install a marquee and a tent on the terrace.

Invoice salt to a sweet dish

Photo courtesy

The famous “dessert signature” of the 375th anniversary.

This “dessert signature” of the 375th anniversary, created by Patrice Pastry, was served in the 700 copies to the guests of the launch party festivities. Invoice : 4304 $.

It is a crunchy molasses, a baba soaked in the honey of the Accueil Bonneau and beer Brewer in Montreal, chocolate-covered peruvian organic and fair-and is topped with whipped cream of buckwheat.

Expenses not included in the budget of the 375th anniversary

• Launch day, 17 may: 250 000 $ (including $ 225,000 for the private party of the mayor)
• Advertising and promotion of the 375th anniversary: 220 422 $
• Inauguration and promotion of the new entrance to Bonaventure: 206 712 $
• Inauguration and promotion of the park Frédérick-Back: 219 306 $
• Inauguration and promotion of the promenade River-Mountain: 69 755 $

►Total: 966 195 $

Other expenses paid by the taxpayers

• The purchase of sparkling wine and liqueurs alcoholic : 12 966 $
• Video for the 375th : 19 130 $
• 150 gift protocol – toques, mitts, scarves brand Rudsak : 4593 $
• Order of 100 volumes of luxury on the history of Montreal : 22 571 $

The $ 220,000 to inaugurate a park

Photo Agence QMI, Toma Iczkovits

The park Frédérick-Back has been inaugurated on the 26th of August 2017.

The activities for the inauguration and promotion of the park Frédérick-Back have led to expenses totaling $ 219 306 $, of which 90 400 $ for the ” concept of the inauguration “.

These amounts were not included in development costs of$ 27.7 Million this new public park located on the Saint-Michel environmental complex.

The beautiful world for the inauguration

Photo: Martin Knight

On this photo the day of the inauguration, from left to right, we see the ex-mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre, the creator of a work of art on the site, and Jaume Plensa, the president of the Society for the 375th, France Chrétien Desmarais, André Desmarais.

Not less than 206 712 $ have been spent for advertising and the launch event of the new entrance to the city at the end of the Bonaventure autoroute. Of this amount, 89 239 $ have been made for the organisation of the award ceremony on 6 September, which was prompted André Desmarais, president of Power Corporation. Montreal has also spent a total 45 132 $ in contracts for the creation of videos and promotional photos on the entrance to Bonaventure.

River-Mountain

Here we see the promenade, River and Mountain, of which the inauguration and the promotional materials have cost 69 755 $.