Decarie construction months behind awaiting AMF approval

CTV Montreal: Decarie construction months behind Companies awarded city contracts near the superhospital are awaiting approval from Quebec's financial watchdog. Kevin Gallagher explains.

Road construction on Decarie Blvd. in NDG is three months behind schedule as the two companies awarded the contract by the city of Montreal await approval from Quebec's financial regulator.

The approval process by the provincial regulator, Autorité des marchés financiers, began in April. The file has been left unreviewed since then.

In the meantime, the city said paving work will begin to temporarily open Decarie Blvd. underneath the freight overpass at the Vendome train tracks.

That overpass has been built near the new superhospital, connecting Decarie north of De Maisonneuve Blvd. all the way to St. Jacques St. The paving work was set to be done in July. The city could not provide a timeline on when the work would be done, but provided their best estimate of roughly one month.

“TWe are in discussion with the department of transport to make sure things are coordinated,” said city of Montreal spokesperson Jacques-Alain Lavallee.

The AMF has been reviewing the two companies awarded to do the construction work, one of which is Louisbourg Construction, formerly owned by construction magnate and alleged fraudster Tony Accurso.

This is considered an exceptionally long wait during an AMF review process.

Access to Decarie Blvd. is needed before Transport Quebec demolishes the nearby St. Jacques St. overpass and the Highway 720 access ramp.

The demolition process was supposed to take place in September or perhaps as late as late October. The process still has a few weeks before it goes to tender – and that process will take three weeks as well. Once the contractor is approved by the AMF to move ahead, the work will begin.

Transport Quebec said work should begin in December or perhaps in the New Year.