This election was extremely divisive, dominated by a rival candidate's charge that the city had acted improperly in a land purchase; after the vote, Renaud filed libel suits against both of his opponents.
He reluctantly accepted the city’s decision to withdraw from both projects in June 1985, acknowledging that it had been a mistake to move forward without the provincial government's guarantee of support.
[7] Renaud was re-elected in the 1986 municipal election, defeating three rivals as his Ralliement de Saint-Léonard party won 10 of 12 seats on council.
[10] In May 1987, Renaud acknowledged that the city had overtaxed businesses by over one million dollars the previous year and indicated that he would seek redress for the matter.
[11] Renaud lost his council majority in May 1988, when Frank Zampino and seven other Ralliement de Saint-Léonard councillors resigned to sit as independents.