In a special meeting held on December 11, 2023, Rosemère Mayor Eric Westram and Councillor Marie-Élaine Pitre unveiled the 2024 budget, which was subsequently adopted by the Town Council. This budget, developed to address the current economic landscape and inflation, aims to maintain the town’s commitment to providing high-quality services while ensuring fiscal responsibility for future generations.

Mayor Eric Westram emphasized, “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. 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.”

One of the significant components of the 2024 budget is the introduction of a new property assessment roll, which will come into effect on January 1, 2024. This assessment roll revealed a substantial disparity in value growth between residential and commercial properties, leading to a tax shift between these two categories. The average value of a residential property will increase by 59.5%, from $472,600 to $753,000. To mitigate the annual impact of this shift, the Town plans to spread the variation in assessed values over three years and has adopted a tax strategy for the duration of the assessment roll.

Key Highlights of the 2024 Budget:

Operating Budget: $38,901,100.

Freeze on Water and Waste Management Charges.

General Tax Increase: Residential sector taxes will increase on par with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is 5% according to Statistics Canada (September 2023, Montreal area). This results in an average increase of $159 per household.

Special Tax on ARTM Public Transit: An additional 0.25% tax or an extra $8 per average household.

Infrastructure Fund Contribution: $0.0224 per $100 of assessment for the residential sector, a 1.5% increase ($48 per average household).

Ecofiscal Measure: Introduction of a new measure to assist in removing old oil tanks. Property owners can be eligible for a grant of up to $1,000, funded through a special tax of $125 per tank on oil tanks.

The three-year capital investment program spanning 2024, 2025, and 2026 allocates $59.9 million in investments, with 60% funded through grants or third parties. Of this total, $46.6 million will be dedicated to reinforcing, maintaining, and replacing existing infrastructure, $8.3 million for development including active mobility, parks, and natural environments, and $5 million for other investments like vehicle acquisitions and machinery.

Main Projects for 2024 Include:

Implementation of the MADA – Familles Policy.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan.

Urban Forest Plan Implementation.

Library Services Expansion.

Development of Rosemère’s Employer Brand.

Water Treatment Plant Upgrades in Compliance with Standards.

Infrastructure Rehabilitation on Terrasse Cadieux.

Active Mobility Plan Implementation, Including Bike and Multiuse Paths.

Rehabilitation of Pump Stations, Fire Hydrants, and Valves.

Replacement of Heavy-Duty Trucks and Snow Plowing Equipment.