City promises 2025 residential tax rate below inflation
The City of Montreal is promising to keep its property tax increase for 2025 slightly below inflation at 1.8 per cent, following years of steep hikes.
Montreal executive committee chair Luc Rabouin said that keeping the increase low requires tightening spending on services such as snow removal and maintenance and repairs of city infrastructure.
However, the city was vague about which cuts will be made and did not specify the difference between residential and business tax rates.
"So today we announced the inflation, the tax increase. We did not announce the budget, so you will have to wait a couple of weeks because we will announce the budget in November," Rabouin said Thursday at a press conference.
The City of Montreal controls roughly 87 per cent of the budget, while the boroughs control the rest. Rabouin added that he expects boroughs to also keep their increases at 1.8 per cent.
The official opposition isn't impressed by the city's latest promise.
"Just in the year before the election makes us all a little bit skeptical, if not cynical, as to why they are exactly doing that. We all know that there's an election in a year and clearly, they're trying to put lipstick on a pig, so to speak," said Alan DeSousa, the mayor of Saint-Laurent and member of opposition party Ensemble Montreal.
DeSousa noted that after seven years of steady tax increases and increased spending under Projet Montreal, it's unfair to blame the boroughs if rates go higher.
"When you talk about gymnastics, we're working very hard to ensure that all of the boroughs are trying to make sure that services to citizens are not touched," he said.
However, the details will remain unclear until the city's budget is released next month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India trashes Canada for linking home minister to Sikh activist plot
India officially protested on Saturday the Canadian government's allegation that the country's powerful home minister Amit Shah had ordered the targeting of Sikh activists inside Canada, calling it 'absurd and baseless.'
The impact of Trump's lies in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio was once a manufacturing hub. Now, people know it for Trump's comments at September's presidential debate, when he famously - and falsely - told an audience of 67 million people that Haitians eat their pets, echoing claims that had circulated on social media.
Iran's supreme leader threatens Israel, U.S. with 'a crushing response' over Israeli attack
Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with 'a crushing response' over attacks on Iran and its allies.
Vancouver quietly proclaimed Chip Wilson Day as billionaire installed sign calling B.C. NDP 'communist'
On the same day Chip Wilson erected a controversial sign at his Vancouver mansion, the city was quietly honouring the billionaire and his wife.
'Election seems really close': Americans in Canada cast ballot ahead of U.S. election
Stephen Winters says watching the U.S. election campaign from Canada as a dual citizen is like a parent watching their kid play sports.
Spain to send 10,000 soldiers, police to Valencia after deadly floods
Spain is sending 5,000 more soldiers and 5,000 more police to the eastern region of Valencia after deadly floods this week that killed more than 200 people, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday.
Jury convicts former Kentucky officer of using excessive force on Breonna Taylor during deadly raid
A federal jury on Friday convicted a former Kentucky police detective of using excessive force on Breonna Taylor during a botched 2020 drug raid that left her dead.
Orphaned squirrel who became social media star was euthanized after being seized from New York home
An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanized after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker's home, authorities said Friday.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.