GATINEAU, Que. – A former regional vice-president for the Dessau engineering firm has pleaded guilty to participating in a bid-rigging scheme that cost the City of Gatineau, Que., an estimated $1.8 million.

Michel Famery was ordered to serve nine months of house arrest and nine months under curfew after pleading guilty Thursday in Quebec Superior Court.

Charges were brought against him and three others a year ago by the Competition Bureau.

The federal agency alleges that several firms conspired to divide up Gatineau infrastructure contracts among themselves.

It estimates that the co-ordinated bidding raised the city’s total cost for 21 contracts by about 33 per cent.

Famery is the second former Dessau executive to plead guilty to bid rigging. Court proceedings are ongoing against the two remaining accused who formerly worked for Cima+ and for WSP Canada while it was still called Genivar.

The other convicted executive is Dave Boulay, formerly Desseau’s assistant vice-president for Outaouais. The two remaining accused are former Cima+ vice president Andre Mathieu and Claude Marquis, a former Genivar regional director.

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