Summary
Message from the Inspector General
Mayor Denis Coderre, Members of Montreal City Council and citizens of Montreal,
I am pleased to submit the first annual report by the Office of Inspector General of the City of Montreal (hereinafter: OIG). This report describes the achievements of my office from the date of my appointment by Montreal City Council on February 24, 2014 to December 31, 2014.
Immediately after I was appointed, I began building a solid team of professionals in order to create the first office of Inspector General in Canada, even though the National Assembly of Quebec had not yet adopted the law creating the function of Inspector General of the City of Montreal.
It was only on June 13, 2014 that An Act respecting the Inspector General of the City of Montreal came into force and that the function of Inspector General was legally created, with the incumbent duties, powers, and responsibilities.
The submission of reports by the Inspector General is foreseen under article 57.1.23 of the
Charter of the City of Montreal (hereinafter: Charter), which states that:
Not later than 31 March each year, the inspector general shall send the city clerk and the mayor a report, to be tabled before the council at the first regular sitting following its receipt, presenting the results of the activities carried out under the inspector general’s mandate and making recommendations, if applicable. The inspector general shall also send the report to the Anti-Corruption Commissioner and the Autorité des marchés financiers.
The inspector general may also, at any time, send the mayor and the clerk any report presenting findings or recommendations that, in the opinion of the inspector general, warrant being brought to the attention of the council. The mayor shall table the report before the council at the first regular sitting following its receipt.
The inspector general may include any notices or recommendations in these reports that, in his opinion, must be brought before the council.
In addition, the inspector general may, at any time, submit any notice or recommendation he considers necessary to any decision-making authority of the city.
According to the second paragraph of this article, the OIG can address the decision- making authorities of the City as often as it considers necessary. By the observations and recommendations made in ad hoc reports produced following complaints, or at its own initiative, the OIG gradually informs elected officials of any problem that arises, and proposes possible solutions.
On the other hand, the OIG made a commitment to produce exceptional quality reports that are timely, objective, precise, and presented such that the individuals and agencies under its jurisdiction can act on the information transmitted.
The OIG intends to prioritise the filing of ad hoc reports and recommendations. In 2014, three public reports containing specific recommendations have already been submitted to decision-making authorities.
This annual report is primarily an opportunity to present the major achievements of the year 2014 and the priorities that we plan to implement in the coming year.
Denis Gallant, Ad. E. Inspector General