Trifluvians should see on average an increase of 2.95% on their contribution notice. This is the proposal that is on the table after two days of discussions between elected officials.
• Also read: Home invasion: a man injured by gunshot in Trois-Rivières
• Also read: Trois-Rivières: serial thefts of vehicles worry residents
Even though house values increased by approximately 60% with the new assessment roll, elected officials wanted to keep the increase in taxation below the 3% mark.
Remember that an average single-family home in Trois-Rivières, in Mauricie, went from an average value of $210,000 to $337,000 after this new role. For this same “typical” house, the increase in the assessment notice would therefore be $93, for a total of $3,265.
“We go from an amount of $1.30 to less than $0.85 of the $100 of the assessment rate. It’s a new calculation, which means that in certain strata, certain buildings, whether residential or commercial, will have positive changes in their case,” explained the mayor of Trois-Rivières Jean Lamarche.
The budget was prepared with the aim of better distributing the tax burden between citizens and other owners. To encourage construction, it provides for an increase in taxation on 1,194 vacant lots served to allow the city to generate $2.7 million in additional revenue.
Commercial and industrial buildings of a certain value would also be taxed more. A second tax stratum was previously imposed from a value of $7 million: the stratum would now be lowered to $1 million for industrial buildings and to $3 million for commercial buildings.
“We are going to distribute the tax burden, that’s the watchword,” commented Jean Lamarche. Everyone has to be happy and equally angry, and I think that at that level we succeeded.”
Screenshot / LCN
Municipal councilor René Martin adds that having “a tax rate below 3% is something I wanted. Without a service cut, it was important to me.”
Councilor Pascale Albernhe-Lahaie does not agree. “There are direct services to citizens that were not included in the budget, for example, I asked that we have added services in terms of snow removal,” she declared.
She does not know if she will vote in favor of the budget, just like Councilor Dany Carpentier. “Today [jeudi]I can’t be convinced that this is the right budget. Now, I will continue my reflection,” he said.
The adoption of the budget is scheduled for December 10, during an extraordinary session.
Abolition of the controversial swimming pool tax
Established last year and having generated revenue of $680,000 for the City of Trois-Rivières in 2024, the $50 tax imposed on each owner of a swimming pool will be abolished in 2025.
A majority of councilors wanted to withdraw this measure which had been denounced by many citizens. “Perhaps the pressure from the population was strong at that level,” asked Mayor Lamarche.
Screenshot / LCN
“Perhaps the eco-fiscal tool was poorly defined. Perhaps we need to review a more direct link between the effect and the amount,” he elaborated.
Pointe-du-Lac municipal councilor François Bélisle campaigned to abolish this swimming pool tax. “What helped this year, given that it was a source of additional income and that I knew it in advance, we had established the amounts, so I went to see the senior officials, telling them: there is maybe possible solutions to work on certain things,” he explained.
Change for septic tanks
If new pricing based on the user-pays principle was introduced last year for septic tank owners, the measure will be reviewed this year.
“A lot of people called me to tell me that their account was at $1000, $1500,” rejoiced Councilor Geneviève Auclair.
“Indeed, it no longer made sense and we found a solution where there will be a fixed rate for people who will do three or four oil changes per year, but at a rate that is really reasonable. It will all be explained in December when it is adopted, but it is good news,” she added.
A new era for Trois-Rivières
The 2025 budget of the City of Trois-Rivières marks a historic turning point according to the municipal administration. “We are at a crossroads,” declared the mayor of Trois-Rivières.
“The new assessment role, the reduction in equalization… I really have the feeling [sentiment] that we are heading towards a paradigm shift for the City of Trois-Rivieres so, more and more, we are identified as a prosperous city,” he mentioned.
Trois-Rivières is already planning to carry out a vast project next year to review the city’s fiscal and economic model. “We want to look at another method which will allow us to seek other revenues through eco-taxation, tax sealed areas, increase tax revenues,” said general manager François Vaillancourt.
The city’s total payroll will increase by nearly $12 million, from $134 million in 2024 to $146 million in 2025.
