Montreal property owners will see their local tax bill increase by 9.5% on average next year, a recent high.
These taxes – imposed by the districts – represent only a small part of the property tax. But this portion will increase significantly in 2024, from 5% to 15% depending on the sector, which suggests a substantial increase in the overall bill.
“As elected officials, it is never with joy of heart that we must adjust taxation upwards,” said LaSalle Mayor Nancy Audet on Tuesday evening, announcing an increase that will increase her tax by 14.3%. local. “This is a solution of last resort and I can assure you that we would have preferred to announce a freeze or a reduction. »
The Press had already reported last week that the first 11 districts to adopt their local budget had increased their taxes by 9.3%. The average increases slightly with the eight districts which have since carried out the exercise.
“Everything costs more,” argued Mayor Émilie Thuillier, of the Ahunstic-Cartierville district, where the local tax will increase by 10.7%.
We do not have the right to run deficits.
Émilie Thuillier, mayor of the district of Ahunstic-Cartierville
The Plante administration and the official opposition at city hall did not want to comment on these decisions. Last week, the first emphasized that “the districts determine their own local taxes”, while the second deplored “heartbreaking” decisions for elected officials “who have to deal with transfers from the central city which are largely insufficient “.
Many boroughs are announcing a very modest increase (or even a freeze) in their tax rate on each $100 of assessment. But as home values have skyrocketed in recent years, these decisions are turning into a significant increase in the tax bite. The data disseminated by The Press correspond to the real increase in the average local tax bill in each district.
Maximum 5.2% increase
Despite everything, it is the increase decided by the Plante administration during its November budget that will have the biggest impact on the wallets of Montrealers.
Last week, the mayor’s right-hand man promised that the overall increase imposed on Montrealers would not exceed 5.2%, consistent with a recent inflation forecast from Statistics Canada.
“I can guarantee Montrealers that we are not going there,” assured Dominique Ollivier, president of the executive committee.
Last year, tax bills increased by 4.1% on average, recalled Mr.me Oliver. The increases were 2% and 0% during the previous two years – a freeze was decreed in the first year of the pandemic.
However, inflation grew much more during this period, she noted. “We cannot absorb the full shock of inflation, because we will fall into imbalance,” warned the City’s big money manager.
With the collaboration of Isabelle Ducas, The Press