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ARTICLE · 21 SEPTEMBER 2026

New Act Respecting Contracting By Municipal Bodies: How To Secure Your Bids

BCF Business Law
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Effective April 1, 2026, Quebec's Act respecting contracting by municipal bodies fundamentally transforms how municipal contracts are awarded, moving beyond the traditional lowest-price model to embrace qualitative evaluation criteria including environmental practices, life cycle costs, and contractor performance history. Municipal bodies now have eight award procedures to choose from, along with new pre-tender processes that can limit competition to prequalified enterprises. Contractors must adapt their te

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Audrey-Anne Béland
Audrey-Anne Béland
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Key Takeaways: Main Changes to the ACMB for Contractors

  • As of April 1, 2026, the Act respecting contracting by municipal bodies governs the awarding of municipal contracts in the province of Québec. 
  • The lowest price is no longer automatically the deciding factor: Municipal bodies now have several options for awarding contracts. 
  • New evaluation criteria may be considered, including life cycle and environmental practices. 
  • Qualification processes may limit tenders to prequalified enterprises. 
  •  An enterprise’s contract history may now influence its eligibility to tender. 

Effective April 1, 2026, the Act respecting contracting by municipal bodies (the “ACMB”) reforms the framework governing the awarding of municipal contracts in the province of Québec. 

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