MONTREAL – A police task force probing corruption in the province yesterday arrested two Montreal-area businessmen who are alleged to have tried to bribe a city worker to grant construction permits. It’s the third series of arrests in the last week by the Operation Hammer task force, which was created in October.
The Sûreté du Québec arrested Yvon Boyer, 62, at his home in Deux Montagnes, northwest of Montreal, and Luc Morin, 50, of LaSalle at a construction site in Quebec City. Both work for Dévéloppement B&L, building contractors in Anjou.
They are alleged to have given money to a Quebec City bureaucrat so they could receive permits that would allow the construction of residential properties in Quebec City. The city worker informed police and turned over the money.
Boyer’s wife denied the accusation when reached at her home in Deux Montagnes last night.
The accused are to appear in court in Quebec City today to face charges of bribery.
Police also carried out search warrants at businesses and a construction site trailer in Anjou, Longueuil and Quebec City.
Ex-Outremont mayor Stéphane Harbour and two of his former senior officials were arrested by SQ officers in Operation Hammer Monday on a series of charges that include fraud, forgery, breach of trust by a public officer and conspiracy.
Last week, former Beaconsfield civil servant Mario Villeneuve was charged with breach of trust and municipal corruption. He is alleged to have accepted bribes in 2007 and 2008 when he worked for Beaconsfield.
rbruemmer@thegazette.canwest.com
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