Montreal’s executive committee chair resigns amid reports into past expenses

The chairperson of Montreal’s executive committee is stepping down amid a growing controversy over past expenses from when she was in charge of the city’s public consultation office.

Dominique Ollivier announced her resignation Monday afternoon after a series of investigative reports into her spending by Le Journal de Montréal earlier this month.

The French-language newspaper revealed Ollivier allegedly spent thousands of dollars on international trips, hotels and meals out while she was the head of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) from 2014 to 2021. The office is fully financed by the city to the tune of $3 million per year.

Ollivier allegedly spent more than $17,000 at the taxpayers’ expense at local high-end restaurants from 2016 to 2019. Another allegation is a $347 bill for an oyster dinner in Paris that was covered by the OCPM.

In wake of the reports, Ollivier said she has received a flurry of messages — some of which she alleges were violent, misogynistic and racist, while others have been supportive. She has faced calls by the city’s opposition to resign as chair of the executive committee.

Aref Salem, leader of Ensemble Montréal, said Ollivier’s “decision to resign was the one to make.”

“Ensemble Montréal has been demanding the departure of Ms. Dominique Ollivier from the presidency of the executive committee for a week. It is unanimous among the population that she no longer has the credibility necessary to occupy this position, which implies having the trust of citizens,” Salem said in a statement.

Ollivier says her resignation is effective immediately. She plans to stay on as a city councillor.

“I have asked the finance commission of the city to meet with me on Friday morning when I will give an account of my management choices at the head of the OCPM,” she told reporters. “And by the way I’d like to say the OCPM is a very important institution in Montreal and I will never repeat that enough.

The revelations come just a few days before the Valérie Plante administration is set to present its 2024 budget.

Plante addressed Ollivier’s resignation in a separate news conference late Monday. She applauded Ollivier’s decision to step down, while also promising she will revise the OCPM’s finances.

Montreal’s mayor also praised Ollivier, describing her as a “woman of great talent who has done important things in her life” and has a “long roadmap of accomplishments.”

“I’d like to finish by saying that Madame Ollivier took responsibility for her actions, faced the music and made the difficult decision necessary to defend her own integrity and, above all, to protect the institution,” Plante said. “I expect the same from the OCPM’s current directors.”

Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Mayor Luc Rabouin will take over as chair of the executive committee.

— with files from Gloria Henriquez

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