Admits to conspiring to divide up Quebec City contracts among seven other engineering-consulting firms
An engineering executive has received a 14-month conditional sentence for rigging bids for Quebec City contracts.
André Côté, a former executive for engineering firm Roche ltée, Groupe-conseil (now Norda Stelo), was charged with participating in a bid-rigging scheme for Quebec City contracts between 2006 and 2010.
Following an investigation by the Competition Bureau, criminal charges were brought in November 2023 against Côté and Patrice Mathieu, for conspiracy to rig bids, conspiracy to commit fraud, and fraud over $5,000. Mathieu was also charged for bid rigging, and legal proceedings are still ongoing against him.
Roche ltée had to pay $750,000 under a settlement reached by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada for rigging bids for municipal infrastructure contracts in Quebec, including in Quebec City.
The Competition Bureau investigation launched its investigation following an immunity application from AECOM Consultants Inc., submitted through its immunity and leniency program.
Six other engineering-consulting firms have also reached settlement agreements with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada for bid-rigging municipal infrastructure contracts in Quebec, including in Quebec City.
These firms are Dessau, Genivar (now WSP Canada), SNC-Lavalin, CIMA+, BPR and Teknika HBA inc. (now EXP Services Inc.),
$12 million in settlements
The total amount of these settlements amounts to over $12 million, according to the Competition Bureau.
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"Rigging bids on public contracts is a serious offence that artificially increases costs and ultimately enriches a handful of individuals and companies while impoverishing taxpayers,” said Matthew Boswell, commissioner of competition. “That is why we will continue to fight against this scourge and pursue those who conspire to increase their profits through criminal schemes such as bid rigging."
Previously, Ontario's Superior Court of Justice dismissed claims against supervisors accused of “competing” with their employer.
The Bureau also strongly encourages anyone who suspects a company or individual of being involved in illegal agreements, such as bid-rigging, price-fixing, market allocation, restricting supply, or wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements, to report it through its online complaint form.
Previously, the Competition Bureau has launched a new reporting tool to help the public and business community report potential collusive agreements between competitors related to the big event.