Mayor Eric Westram and Town Council announced a tax freeze for 2021 to provide residents and businesses with some relief in these difficult times. In addition, a freeze on water service charges and waste management charges is planned. The budget estimates were adopted at the special meeting held on December 16.
“For most of us, 2020 has been a historic and difficult year. The pandemic has forced us to review our
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priorities to better support and continue to serve Rosemerites under exceptional
circumstances. Therefore it is important not to increase property taxes and to focus more on the
development of our community life. That is why we have established a balanced budget where
environment preservation and Rosemerites’ well-being has their place. Under the theme “With you,
for Rosemère”, the 2021 budget has been designed so that we can invest in your quality of life in a
rational and well-considered way,” stated the Mayor.
Highlights
- Operating budget of $33,017,900 (increase of 1.8% for current expenses and 0.7% for nonrecurring expenses, such as elections)
- Freeze on the tax burden of property and special taxes
- Freeze on water service and waste management charges
- New property assessment roll (2021-2022-2023)
- Averaging of taxable values over three years
- Appropriation of surplus from government assistance ($1.4 M) received for COVID-19 in order to reduce the impacts of the pandemic and in order to limit the tax burden on taxpayers, particularly for the commercial sector which has been hard hit by the pandemic
Projects to be prioritized
The 2021 budget provides for investments in several major projects, notably in maintaining
quality services to residents, in the implementation of the very first Green Fund and in the Emerald
Ash Borer Action Program, which has been ongoing for several years. The City will also invest in
protecting natural environments with high ecological potential. The first 36 months of the Westram
Administration’s first term of office have been filled with strong initiatives to preserve the
environment. These include the revitalization of Miller Marsh, the very first forum on the environment,
membership in the Fonds des municipalités pour la biodiversité (Municipalities’ biodiversity fund), the
perpetual protection of the Frères du Sacré-Cœur forest and the project to acquire the high ecological
value land known as the Grand-Côteau forest, which covers 13 hectares of green space.
In addition, the Town will finalize the revision of the urban planning bylaws. In this regard, it should be
noted that since 2018, the Town has undertaken a major strategic reflection on the Rosemère of
tomorrow, paving the way for the urban planning vision that has been defined with and for residents.
This major project stems from a dozen or so public consultation activities that have so far generated
some 1700 responses.
An enviable situation for Rosemerites
Moreover, Rosemère retains its enviable position in the region. In 2019, owners of an average home in
Rosemère paid 9% less in property taxes, while benefiting from a 30% higher value of their property. In
addition, the Town of Rosemère is 2.2 times less indebted than other towns in the region. “Our goal is
to ensure that Rosemerites continue to pay less taxes in a less indebted town and that they get more
value for their homes than elsewhere,” said the Mayor.
“In closing, I would like to reiterate the importance of continuing to encourage shopping locally. As you
will see from the budget, our merchants play a vital role in our Town’s economy. This holiday season, buy local!” emphasized Mayor Westram.
