Gérald Tremblay's home and cottage searched by UPAC

Quebec's anti-corruption unit searched the home and cottage of former Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay today as part of an ongoing investigation into a cancelled water-meter contract.

The city awarded the $355-million contract to a consortium in 2007 but cancelled the deal two years later after reports surfaced of alleged embezzlement and other irregularities.

Tremblay served as mayor of Montreal from 2002 until his resignation in 2012.

On Wednesday, UPAC investigators were seen taking boxes from his Outremont home, and a squad car from the Sûreté du Québec, the province's provincial police force, was parked in the driveway.

A lawyer from the firm representing Tremblay was also present at the residence but declined to comment.

UPAC investigators also searched his cottage in St-Hippolyte in the Laurentians north of Montreal. 

Anne-Frédérick Laurence, a spokeswoman for UPAC, wouldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation, but said two residences were raided — one in Montreal and one in the Laurentians.

Eight raids have been conducted in recent weeks in relation to the cancelled contract.

​Last week, UPAC raided the home of the mayor of Lachine, Claude Dauphin, as well as the homes of three former municipal politicians: Francine Sénécal, Sammy Forcillo and Cosmo Maciocia.

Lachine's municipal office was also targeted in those searches.

The contract was awarded to the private consortium GÉNIeau. Tremblay cancelled the contract in 2009 after a review found irregularities with the tendering process.