The 82 elected officials of the Metropolitan Community of Montreal (CMM) agreed on Monday that they will not accept an increase in their participation in public transport of more than 4%. According to a mayor of the northern crown, Minister Geneviève Guilbault’s proposal would have “terrible impacts” on citizens’ tax bills.
“We agreed this morning, during a meeting with all the elected representatives of the CMM, that the only increase we would accept is what had already been given to us, namely 4%. We’re all making our budgets and we find it logical, because it’s roughly at the top of inflation. This is the only thing we will accept,” insists the mayor of Saint-Eustache and prefect of the MRC of Deux-Montagnes, Pierre Charron.
According to him, the objective for increasing user prices is “around a margin of 3%” during the same period, so as not to weaken the support of the population.
Last week, the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, offered transport companies funding of 502.8 million, which represents barely 20% of the industry’s deficit of 2.5 billion. The rest would be made up by “optimization” efforts of 365 million, but above all by municipalities, who fear the worst for their finances.
In a letter sent to the minister, the mayors of Montreal, Longueuil, Laval, Mercier and Deux-Montagnes denounced that this would lead to an average increase of 35% in the financial contribution of municipalities.
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY THE TABLE OF PREFECTS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE NORTH CROWN
An illustration of the anticipated increases for Greater Montreal, if Quebec’s plan goes forward as is.
According to another letter sent on Sunday, however, the situation would be even more critical on the crowns. “In the north, we are talking about 93% and in the south, 143% of the increase in our participation. There are municipalities for which this is particularly critical. In Deux-Montagnes, for example, it would be around 681%, then 224% in Bois-des-Filion or even 240% in Blainville. It is certain that it would have terrible impacts on the tax bill,” said Mr. Charron.
Towards tough negotiations
An official counter-offer from the public transport industry and the cities is expected in the coming days, but already, the CMM’s desire not to exceed the 4% mark suggests tough negotiations between Quebec and the cities. A big gap still remains between the vision of the government and that of the municipalities.
“Should taxpayers’ money be used to finance the entire operating expenses of transport companies, while […] ourselves, do we have our spending increases? », Illustrated Minister Geneviève Guilbault on Wednesday, adding that her government “cannot finance endlessly operations which are the responsibility of municipalities”.
Pierre Charron, for his part, does not intend to give in. “The reality is that our deficits are growing, the service is not improving and the congestion in the suburbs is terrible. They want to try to pass us a bill that is not ours to pay. The government must reinvest, otherwise it makes no sense. It’s unfair,” he insists.
“Either the government is going to put in more, or we sit down and find different sources of financing,” he procrastinates, however, suggesting in passing that exo, the transport company managing the networks of the southern and north, has already released “several optimizations” to tighten its belt, as Quebec rightly requests.