The former CEO of the Port of Montreal, who ate in restaurants, had to reimburse, several months after his departure, $470 in minibar expenses because they contravened the federal agency’s policy.
• Read also: $300 bottles of wine, $3,000 dinners, trips to luxury hotels: nothing was good enough for the former CEO of the Port of Montreal
Following a request for access by our Investigation Office, checks by the Port of Montreal revealed minibar fees charged by its former CEO Martin Imbleau between 2021 and 2023 on his corporate credit card.
For example, during a stay in Paris in September 2022, he stayed six nights at the La Villa hotel. The total cost of the bill was $3,852. He charged $40 for the half-bottle of champagne.
The hotel bill which includes the minibar charges in green. The amounts are in euros.
Nearly $55 in alcoholic beverages are charged at the Serras Hotel in Barcelona in November 2022. In July 2023, $47 worth of Gin Mar from the minibar is added to his bill at the Pillows Maurits at the Park hotel in Amsterdam, as well as $40 worth of red wine.
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During the federal budget in March 2023, he consumed $29 worth of wine from the minibar at The Metcalfe hotel.
In addition to alcohol, he also had to reimburse food such as crisps, nuts or chocolate as well as soft drinks.
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As our Investigation Bureau revealed on Friday, Mr. Imbleau billed many restaurants and significant alcohol consumption. Since then, a policy on meal expenses abroad that had led to “confusion” will be revised and alcohol is now prohibited except in certain specific situations.
One thing was very clear in the policy, however: minibar charges were non-refundable.
Expenses reimbursed once informed
On April 26, the new CEO Julie Gascon sent Mr. Imbleau an email containing an analysis of his minibar expenses as well as the function expense policies.
The total amount of identified expenses to be reimbursed was $469.86.
“I traveled a lot and submitted my full expense accounts and I believe, at your request […] “They saw that there were small errors in the many expenses and informed me,” Martin Imbleau explained to us.
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The refund was made immediately, the former CEO said. Asked if he was aware of the APM policy that did not reimburse minibar charges, he replied: “I honestly did not know, I did not pay attention, I submitted the invoice thinking that there are strict policies and people and what is not in the policy will be cut and the refund will not take place,” he said.
Where was the CA?
Agency policy states that the CEO’s expense accounts are reviewed and authorized by the chair of the board. The Port of Montreal defended the work of its board, but could not explain why these expenses were authorized despite the policy.
“The way to approve […] “Was this the best way to do it?” asks communications director Renée Larouche. She points out that a firm was hired to help the Port review its policies.
“We will rely on the recommendations of the external firm that will offer us […] “Maybe a new way of doing things, because what is the role of the president to look into the details if, say, the CEO had a martini or 2 or 3 that were too expensive?”
Mr. Imbleau recalls that his mandate was to develop business, particularly abroad, and that his expenses did not involve public funds.