Maisonneuve magazine investigation exposes corruption in Montreal snow-removal industry

[This post has been updated] Maisonneuve magazine of Montreal is demonstrating some investigative muscle with a cover story in its winter 2011 issue exposing bid-rigging in the Montreal snow-removal industry. It's an impressive undertaking for a small magazine better known for its cultural coverage. 

The story, by Selena Ross, is based in part on an analysis of 12 years of municipal contracts and complements recent stories about rampant corruption in the Quebec construction industry.
But it focusses on lawbreaking by contractors, employees and city bureaucrats specifically about snow-removal, activity that results inevitably in higher costs for the public for clearing the city's streets. 

And with the corruption comes an escalating series of threats: sabotage, threats and physical violence.

“It’s a silent law that you don’t go bidding on a sidewalk contract in Montreal,” [a source] said. “You’re gonna end up in the river.”

The full story is available to subscribers and single copy buyers (the magazine is on the newsstands starting Friday 16th), but some of the key findings are enumerated on the magazine's website. 

“It’s clear that collusion isn’t limited to the construction industry,” says Maisonneuve editor-in-chief Drew Nelles. “This groundbreaking investigation into snow removal is a wake-up call: the Quebec and Montreal governments need to take bid-rigging seriously, or taxpayers will continue to fund crime and corruption.”

[Update: Selena Ross has told J-source how she got the story and how it all started out by her wondering why so many pedestrians had been killed by snowplows in Montreal. One question led to another.]