Montreal’s crumbling roads are the result of mismanagement and poor planning, according to the city’s 2024 Auditor General (AG) report.
Equipment breakdowns, insufficient work, and the lack of a clear strategy for road upkeep were amongst the things flagged as issues by AG Andrée Cossette.
“The City has not established sufficient mechanisms to ensure efficient management of roadway maintenance and upkeep,” she stated in her 512-page 2024 annual report, released Monday.
Her findings point to “insufficient mechanisms” and a “compartmentalized” approach that hinders preventive maintenance and long-term planning.
Nearly 40 per cent of local streets, managed by the boroughs, were in “poor” or “very poor” condition in 2024, in Montreal — higher than in 2023.
The AG explained that barely 3 per cent of Montreal’s local streets in poor condition received work between 2022 and 2024.
Cossette also highlighted that residents ranked road maintenance as the city’s top service priority, yet current efforts fall short.
Boroughs like Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Sud-Ouest were singled out for underutilizing repair funds for repairing potholes.
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The report recommends clearer strategic goals, stronger borough involvement, and the creation of a defined preventive maintenance plan for arterial roads.
“This lack of coordination compromises the quality of roadways, posing a safety risk to users,” the auditor states.
The extensive AG report also covered various other issues, including how the Montreal Fire Department manages personal protective equipment, compensation of senior management employees, and reimbursements to borough staff.
City officials are expected to address the report’s findings in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
