News

November 10, 2016

Voluntary Reimbursement Program

City of Deux-Montagnes sends formal demands under the Voluntary Reimbursement Program.

In October, the City of Deux-Montagnes sent six (6) formal demands to businesses in order to obtain satisfaction under the provisions of theAct to ensure mainly the recovery of amounts improperly paid as a result of fraud or fraudulent tactics in connection with public contracts.

As readers may know, the Act provides for two measures:

  • A voluntary reimbursement plan
  • Rules facilitating judicial proceedings for the duration of the program

The voluntary reimbursement program dates from November 2, 2015 and will remain in force until November 1, 2017. It covers all public contracts signed with public bodies since October 1, 1996, including ministries, government agencies, Crown corporations, municipalities, healthcare and social service agencies, school commissions, and educational institutions. This program, which is based on the principles of participatory justice, is aimed essentially at minimizing costs and delays in recovering overpayments.

For the sake of transparency, the Quebec Minister of Justice, within six months after the end of the reimbursement program, will submit a report to the government on the implementation of the program. The report will include the names of the persons or companies that participated in the program, the names of the public bodies concerned, and the total amount obtained for the entire program.

Mayor Denis Martin had announced at the time of his election in 2013 that he intended to ensure exemplary integrity in the administration of the City of Deux-Montagnes. Mayor Martin also wishes to assure residents that he will do everything in his power to recover any potential overpayments before he came to head the administration of Deux-Montagnes. “To me, it’s unacceptable that certain people were able to get rich on the backs of our taxpayers. It’s high time they made reimbursements. The taxes paid by residents should be devoted to the services they receive and not to enriching profiteers.”

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