$300 bottles of wine, $3,000 dinners, trips to luxury hotels: Nothing suits the former CEO of the Port of Montreal

The former CEO of Port Montreal led a big lifestyle during his time at the head of the federal agency: huge restaurant bills, significant spending on alcohol, expensive stays abroad in big hotels. The federal agency and its new CEO are now promising to tighten the rules.

According to our analysis of credit card statements we obtained through the Access to Information Act, Martin Imbleau spent $234,000 on his corporate credit card between 1^er January 2021 and September 8, 2023.

It also includes restaurant bills, flights and accommodation while travelling, taxi rides, parking expenses etc.

The CEO was a regular at Graziella, a refined Italian restaurant in Old Montreal. In 3 years, he ate there 36 times for a total of $10,900 (including $5,700 in 2022). He also went to Fairmount The Queen Elizabeth 33 times for a total of $3,380.

The Fairmount Hotel The Queen Elizabeth

Courtesy

$3,300 turnover

For example, on November 23, 2022, he racked up a $3,284 bill for a meal with the board of directors and management committee of APM, or 15 people (about $220 per person). Guests spent over $600 before taxes and consumed 7 bottles of wine.

Graziella Restaurant in Montreal.

According to APM Communications Director, Renee LaRouche, board meetings are held over several days. “Sometimes the council comes together for dinner, ending the day with a debriefing in a restaurant,” she explains in an interview.

She adds that the meal has a festive character. “It's part of the last board meeting to celebrate Christmas,” she adds. “It doesn't happen often,” she said. A “Late Holiday Dinner” for 8 people from the Management Committee was also held on April 13, 2023 at a cost of $1,412 including $329 of alcohol.

Photo by Annabelle Blais

A bottle of wine at $315

On January 31, 2023, a $315 bottle of wine was consumed during a $550 lunch for two at Estiatorio Milos. The shipping company noted that the bottle was picked by the customer on the invoice.

“Mr. Imbloo apparently called the CA president to inform her that he was not comfortable with his situation,” said M.^me LaRouche. “Sometimes, we find ourselves in front of clients who must be seduced so that they stay in Montreal or come back.”

Mr. Imbleau gradually defended himself: “I wanted my employees to pick up the bill so they wouldn't be affected, and it was a kind of dinner because someone volunteered to get a bottle of wine.

Photo by Annabelle Blais

Confusion over spending abroad

During his travels, the former CEO of the Port of Montreal also frequented fine restaurants and while he sometimes dined alone or with a team, he exceeded the National Joint Council amounts for APM's internal policy.

Under this policy, if a person claims that travel meal expenses are higher than expected rates, the amounts must be “reasonable and supported by receipts and detailed information.”

On February 22, 2023, at the Montreal airport, he consumed 2 martinis and charged $105 for his meal at Hurley's. On a trip to California with two colleagues, he charged him and two of his employees $630 for a “team meal,” including about $200 for alcohol. According to council data the dinner allowance is about $60 CA or US.

APM was unwilling to say whether, in its view, the council should apply the sums. However, she found that her approach had created “confusion” and had an “unintended effect” of choosing between employees. every day Or provide invoices regardless of amount or meal (alone, in a team, with clients). Creating a clear policy.

Amounts are in US dollars. According to the expense account, this represented $628 Canadian on that date.

Photo by Annabelle Blais

All types of customers

On documents obtained, client names are redacted, but the company is sometimes listed. We see that we invited 14 clients from a shipping company for a $3,308 dinner at Gibby's, a famous restaurant, in April 2022.

Photo by Annabelle Blais

On July 20, a meal with three guests is planned for the “Energeer Business Lunch”. Mr. Imbleau especially vp at Énergir until 2019. The bill comes to $595 including $234 of alcohol or 2 bottles of wine and 4 other glasses.

“I won't go into all the details, but the president of an international development company develops the business, recruits, talks to people to move projects forward,” Mr. Imbleau emphasized. “Greening the port is my obsession.”

On May 24, 2022, he had lunch at Mercato Commune with a client of “Effect A”, an “initiative aimed at achieving women's ambition” and owned by the spouse of Sophie Brochu. He is Mr. Imbleau's former boss from his time at Energir and Hydro-Québec. Mr. Imbleau participated in Cadeau A as a “leader”. He paid the $86 bill (including two glasses of wine).

“Martin Imbleau, the president of the Port of Montreal and his notoriety, talks to hundreds of thousands of women about his management experience and makes extraordinary contacts in the process, and perhaps he “discovers the talent he wants to hire,” explained Mr. Imbleau.

Mr. Imbleau will leave his position at the Port of Montreal in September 2023 as head of VIA Rail TGF. He is engaged in effect A.

He did not want to comment specifically on his expenses. He stated that he was given the mandate to develop the business. “Public funds have never been used, [et] When I submitted my invoices, they were approved and made public. Procedures are well followed and respected,” he said.

The Port of Montreal declined to say whether Mr. Imbleau's expenses were reasonable, but promised to tighten its policy on official expenses.

– Dominique Cambron in collaboration with Goulet.