Montrealers can expect modest property tax increases next year as the city unveiled its 2017 budget.
"I think we are responsible, we're transparent, what you see is what you get," said Mayor Denis Coderre.
With the average home in Montreal having a valuation of just under $435,000, property taxes will go up by an average of 1.7 per cent, or $59 per year.
That is leading to the city trying to be disciplined, with no grandiose spending plans.
According to the Conference Board of Canada, the inflation rate in Montreal is 1.8 per cent.
The increases vary across the city: Cote-Des-Neiges-NDG and Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie lead the way with a 2.5 per cent bump. That’s followed by a 2.0 per cent hike in St. Laurent, 1.7 per cent increase in the Plateau, 2.3 per cent rise in Outremont, 1.9 per cent jump in the Southwest and a rise of 1.5 per cent in St. Leonard.
The budget also provides for cuts in municipal staffing levels with only one replacement being hired for every two employees that retire.
The city also projects to save $6 million on snow removal, citing better management of contracts, and $5 million saved on waste management, owing to households producing less garbage.
Opposition councillors are not impressed, and would like to see changes to the mill rate for business owners.
"You tax more the huge, big, big property owners, we're talking Claridge and Ivanhoe etc. and you diminish the tax for street corner stores," said Luc Ferrandez.
