During a special meeting on December 11, 2023, Mayor Eric Westram and Councillor Marie-Élaine Pitre tabled the 2024 budget, which was subsequently adopted by Town Council. The budget was developed carefully and thoughtfully to take the current economic outlook and inflation into consideration. 

“The 2024 budget was prepared by members of Town Council and our staff to factor in the current inflationary backdrop and sufficiently address the challenges we are up against, without losing sight of our goal of being a community where people can enjoy life to the fullest,” said Rosemère Mayor Eric Westram. “We are bound and determined to make sure the Town continues to provide services of the highest quality to residents without saddling future generations with our financial burden.”

New assessment roll for 2024, 2025 and 2026

A new property assessment roll was also tabled and will be taking effect on January 1, 2024. The roll showed a significant gap in terms of growth in value between the residential and commercial sectors, prompting a tax shift between the two categories. The average value of a residential property will increase 59.5% from $472,600 to $753,000. In order to reduce the annual impact of this shift, the Town will spread the variation in assessed values out over three years and has adopted a tax strategy covering the duration of the assessment roll.

Highlights 

- Operating budget of $38,901,100.

- Freeze on water and waste management charges. 

- Increase in the general tax for the residential sector on par with the CPI (Statistics Canada, September 2023, Montreal area) (5 %), which works out to an average $159 increase per household.

- Introduction of a special tax on ARTM public transit, which works out to a 0.25% increase, or an additional $8 per average household. 

- Infrastructure Fund contribution of $0.0224 per $100 of assessment for the residential sector, or 1.5% more ($48 per average household).

- Introduction of a new ecofiscal measure to help remove old oil tanks: property owners are eligible for a grant of up to $1,000, in addition to financial assistance available through the Quebec government. This program will be funded through a special tax on oil tanks of $125 per tank.

Investing in a future we can be proud of 

The three-year capital investment program for 2024, 2025 and 2026 calls for $59.9 million in investments, 60% of which will be funded through grants or third parties. Of this amount, $46.6 million will go toward strengthening, maintaining and replacing existing infrastructure (water treatment plant, stormwater facilities, paved surfaces, pump stations, etc.), $8.3 million will be used for development (active mobility, parks and natural environments) and $5 million will be earmarked for other investments, such as the acquisition of vehicles, machinery and equipment. 

Main projects for 2024 

- Implementation of the MADA – Familles policy.

- Plan to fight and adapt to climate change.

- Implementation of the urban forest plan.

- Expansion of library services. 

- Development of the Town of Rosemère’s employer brand.

- Upgrades to the water treatment plant in line with applicable standards.

- Infrastructure rehabilitation on Terrasse Cadieux.

- Implementation of the active mobility plan: bike and multiuse paths.

- Rehabilitation of pump stations, fire hydrants and valves.

- Replacement of a heavy-duty truck and snow ploughing equipment.

Details of the 2024 budget are available online.

From left to right: General Manager Catherine Blais-Adam; Mayor Eric Westram; Councillor Marie-Élaine Pitre and Finance Director Justine Asselin.