Génius Conseil Inc. to pay $300,000 in fifth Québec bid-rigging settlement
News release
Competition Bureau continues investigation into the rigging of bids for infrastructure contracts in Québec
June 19, 2020 - GATINEAU, QC - Competition Bureau
Engineering firm Génius Conseil Inc. has been ordered to pay $300,000 for bid-rigging on municipal infrastructure contracts in Montréal and North Shore municipalities between 2002 and 2012. The payment is part of a settlement reached by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) and filed today with the Superior Court of Québec.
Génius collaborated with the Competition Bureau and the PPSC early in the bid-rigging investigation through the Leniency Program. In addition to this collaboration, the settlement takes into account that Génius previously reimbursed overpayments related to the bid-rigging through the Government of Québec’s Voluntary Reimbursement Program. It also takes into account that the company ceased all commercial operations in November 2014.
This is the fifth settlement with an engineering firm resulting from the Bureau’s ongoing investigation into the rigging of bids for municipal infrastructure contracts in Québec. Five engineering firms have been ordered to pay a total of $8,850,000 for their respective roles in the bid-rigging scheme:
The Bureau’s investigation has also resulted in guilty pleas by four executives of engineering firms Cima+, Genivar and Dessau for bid-rigging on City of Gatineau infrastructure contracts. They received conditional prison sentences totalling five years and 11 months, and court-ordered community service totalling 260 hours.
Quotes
“This settlement comes as a result of the Competition Bureau’s relentless pursuit of those who steal money from taxpayers by rigging bids. I strongly encourage anyone who is or was involved in a cartel to come forward and cooperate with the Bureau through our Immunity and Leniency Programs.”
Matthew Boswell
Commissioner of Competition
Quick facts
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Bid-rigging raises the cost of products or services. Bid-rigging on municipal contracts amounts to a theft of taxpayers’ money that could otherwise be spent on important public needs.
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If you suspect that you are a victim of big-rigging or have information about a bid-rigging scheme, please contact the Competition Bureau.
Related products
- Bid-rigging: Compete legally! (video)
- Toolbox for procurement officers: Detecting, preventing and reporting bid-rigging
- 19-month sentence for fourth accused in Gatineau bid-rigging case
- Two more engineering executives plead guilty in Gatineau bid-rigging case
- 18-month sentence for second engineering executive to plead guilty in Gatineau bid-rigging case
- 1-year sentence for engineering executive who rigged bids for public contracts in Gatineau
- Criminal charges laid against four individuals for bid-rigging in the engineering industry
Associated links
- Immunity and Leniency Programs under the Competition Act
- Government of Québec’s Voluntary Reimbursement Program
- Genivar (now WSP Canada) to pay $4 million in Quebec bid-rigging settlement
- Dessau to pay $1.9 million in settlement over bid-rigging on public contracts in Quebec
- Roche ltée, Groupe-conseil (now Norda Stelo Inc.) to pay $750,000 in settlement for Quebec bid-rigging
- SNC-Lavalin to pay $1.9 million in fourth Québec bid-rigging settlement
- Corporate compliance programs
Contacts
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Email: media-cb-bc@cb-bc.gc.ca
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www.competitionbureau.gc.ca
Enquiries/Complaints
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The Competition Bureau, as an independent law enforcement agency, ensures that Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace.
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