Montreal Takes Urgent Action Against Pothole Crisis
The city of Montreal has declared an emergency response to what officials are calling disastrous and overwhelming pothole conditions across municipal roads. With road safety becoming a pressing public concern, the administration has implemented immediate measures to address the growing infrastructure challenge.
Emergency Contracts and Funding Increases
On Thursday, February 5, 2026, city officials announced they have awarded 10 privately negotiated contracts to three different companies for manual pothole repair work. These contracts, totaling $471,000, will see workers repairing potholes by hand over an intensive eight-day period.
Simultaneously, Montreal is increasing funding transfers to boroughs experiencing the most severe road deterioration. A $2.5 million allocation has been distributed based on multiple factors including complaint volume, street quantity, and previous year's material usage.
The boroughs receiving the highest priority for these emergency funds include:
- Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
- Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
- Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
- Saint-Laurent
- Ville-Marie
- Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
Contract Expiration Creates Perfect Storm
The emergency measures come as Montreal's contract for mechanical pothole patching expired in December and has not been renewed. Executive committee chair Claude Pinard acknowledged this has significantly contributed to the current crisis, stating during a city hall news conference that while teams remain on the road, the volume is phenomenal and most potholes couldn't be covered.
Alan DeSousa, executive committee member responsible for mobility and infrastructure, described the situation as a perfect storm of circumstances. The city attempted twice to secure bids for the mechanical contract but found no compliant bidders, particularly regarding temperature guarantees for the work.
We were unsuccessful in getting a bid for mechanized pothole filling and the contract came to an end, DeSousa explained, noting that January's fluctuating temperatures and heavy snowfall further complicated matters by redirecting municipal workers to snow removal duties.
Political Criticism and Labor Considerations
The official opposition party, Projet Montréal, has criticized the administration's response as improvisation and amateurism. Verdun borough mayor Céline-Audrey Beauregard, the party's critic on citizen services, argued the current winter conditions represent the new normal rather than exceptional circumstances.
It was irresponsible to put off dealing with the problem until later, because it was already foreseeable, Beauregard stated. Now it's February, and it's suddenly an emergency and a crisis.
Opposition councillor Sylvain Ouellet questioned whether the administration divided contracts to avoid public tendering processes and noted recent budget reductions in road maintenance. A pothole fixed in the winter is never a good solution, Ouellet emphasized, advocating instead for proper paving and reconstruction.
The situation has gained additional attention after Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada experienced two flat tires from hitting a pothole during her commute home. Meanwhile, the city's blue-collar workers, currently in a labor dispute with the municipality, have suggested they could address more potholes with increased budgets rather than reliance on private contractors.
Montreal has received a record number of pothole complaints this winter, prompting what Pinard described as no choice but to look for alternative solutions to address streets in disastrous condition that present genuine public safety concerns.
