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2021 Municipal budget - Message from the Mayor Still guided by the 2019-2023 municipal strategic plan and considering the economic context linked to the pandemic, the La Pêche municipal council succeeded in preparing a 2021 budget that is both responsible and visionary. I would like to thank council members and the entire municipal team for this rigorous budget exercise carried out in an unprecedented context. The approach of the municipal council for the year 2021 can be summed up in 3 main priorities:
 To finalize the budget and support the sectors of our local economy most affected by the pandemic, the council has chosen to freeze the non-residential (commercial) tax rate and slightly increase the other rates by 1.5%. In 2021, the tax bill for a median single-family residence of $244,100 will increase by an average of $45: $25 from the tax rate increase and $20 from the increase in the tariff dedicated to the management of residual waste. This $20 tariff increase will be placed in a new local fund reserved for the management of residual waste. This fund will be created in 2021 to forecast the possible impact of the implementation of the collection of compost planned for the end of the year, as well as the possible increase in the costs of waste and recycling management. All in all, compared to regional and provincial averages provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAMH), La Pêche maintains an excellent financial profile.
For more details on the 2021 budget and the approach of the municipal council, I invite you to consult the Presentation of the 2021 budget, the 2021-2023 three-year capital plan, the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, the 2020 Municipal Services Report (publication to come) and the MAMH Financial Profile (2020 version to come). Useful links:
Council adopted the budget for the 2020 financial year on December 16, 2019. The Municipality’s 2019–2023 Strategic Plan, which was adopted on July 2, 2019, was instrumental in guiding Council’s budgetary planning for 2020. It helped Council make the best possible decisions in a budget that was full of constraints, including a considerable 6.65% increase in the Municipality’s contribution to MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais as a result of increased costs for paratransit, recycling management, and the Public Security Department. Our regional police force serves our residents well and is key to the sense of safety enjoyed in our community. We must do everything we can to preserve it. I’ll be an active participant in the MRC’s efforts to lobby the provincial government for a more equitable balance between municipalities affiliated with Sûreté du Québec, which receive large subsidies, and those that have their own police forces and receive no subsidies (2020 Budget for Effective Growth Management, MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais press release, December 3, 2019).
TAXATION Despite numerous challenges, Council was successful in managing cost increases that were beyond its control while moving forward on key elements of its strategic plan. The Municipality was able to limit the impact on taxes for median-value, single-family dwellings to an average increase of 3.05% or $64 in 2020.
Compared with the regional and provincial averages, we are in good financial health, as shown in the following table:
Summary of comparisons with various groups
FEES In this year’s taxation bylaw we are introducing more service items that will no longer be billed exclusively based on property value, but also on received benefit (as set out in the act), which is more equitable in terms of the actual cost of services received.
In this year’s taxation bylaw we are introducing more service items that will no longer be billed exclusively based on property value, but also on received benefit (as set out in the act), which is more equitable in terms of the actual cost of services received. Two additional items will cover 50% of the budget for the La Pêche Fire Department and 25% of the MRC des Collines public security budget (police, 911, fire prevention). We believe these fees are an effective tool for limiting and countering the impact of uneven fluctuations in property values in three-year assessment rolls (see table below) in the medium term. It also makes taxation fairer by ensuring everyone helps shoulder the cost of public services. The fee for the Fire Department will also be used to establish the first responder department, a firefighter watch on weekdays, and a training centre for firefighters.
Property assessment increases in recent assessment rolls
The changes in fees have allowed Council to reduce the residential rate and the rate for buildings with six or more units. More than half of the businesses in the Municipality are located in buildings that are partly residential, so the lower residential rate will help support local business. With the rate decrease for the six-or-more-unit category, Council is sending a clear message to developers looking to build much-needed rental units. In this regard, it is important to note that the two new rates will apply on a per-building basis. For example, owners of two-family dwellings will only pay once for each service. Council has also reaffirmed its support for local farmers by further reducing the farm rate.
MUNICIPAL PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE Going forward, the Municipality’s Green Fund will support local projects and initiatives for environmental protection and sustainable development. A number of projects have already been identified as potential Green Fund projects, including the implementation of compost collection, the development of Rivière La Pêche, lake improvement projects, and a study on managing septic tank drainage. In addition to Green Fund projects, the Municipality is also looking at buying two electric vehicles and switching to LEDs for street lighting. The Municipality remains focused on the City Hall and Municipal Depot relocation projects. It will conduct studies on the relocation of the municipal garage, the extension of sewers in the Wakefield sector, and the installation of sewers in the Sainte-Cécile-de-Masham sector. Significant investments in road infrastructure and municipal parks are also in the works. For more information on the 2020 budget, please consult the table below, which shows our planned spending and resource allocation. You can also consult the three-year capital asset plan, which breaks down the Municipality’s investments in key areas. It’s available on the La Pêche website under Municipal Services, Finances and Taxation, Documents and Reports (see link below).
Guillaume Lamoureux
Useful links
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Administrative offices
1 Route Principale Ouest
La Pêche (Quebec) J0X 2W0
Telephone: 819 456-2161
Fax: 819 456-4534
Business Hours
Monday to Friday: 8:30 am to 4:00pm
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