In December 2012, the Quebec government ratified Bill n°1 on the Integrity in Public Contracts Act, requiring companies who wish to win public contracts or sub-contracts worth 40 million dollars or more to obtain a certificate of good conduct issued by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). That includes contracts entered into on behalf of Crown corporations, and Quebec ministries and municipalities. In order to qualify, contractors must submit to the AMF a comprehensive file on the organisation structure as a whole, including executive profiles. It is an exercise in integrity aiming to ensure that qualifying companies are flawless.

Thus, on last July 8, AGF Steel Inc. received the official certification from the Autorité des marchés. The company is now part of the 109 Quebec contractors registered as AMF authorized companies. In this case, the provision also applies to AGF Steel divisions: ATR Steel, Ecan Steel, AGF Element (I.M.E. and IME Structure modulaire). The certificate is valid for three years, to be renewed before the expiration date.

Last June, the AMF announced its intention to change regulations and lower the threshold as to the value of contracts and sub-contracts, from 40 million dollars to 10 million dollars. That proposition must be formalized by the Quebec government. However companies are already officially invited to submit their application to match the reform that will be ratified most probably this coming fall. Such a modification would not affect the actual certification obtained by AGF Steel Inc.

In the wake of the numerous scandals darkening the Quebec construction industry in recent months, we must be proud about seeing the integrity of our organisation officially recognized. That certification is an added value to AGF Group’s portfolio, since it helps consolidating the image of the company, as well as its leading position in a market now counting one more factor of segregation between the industry players.