The City of Saint-Georges recently published its municipal assessment role for the period 2025-2027. The data reveals an average increase of 25.59% in residential property values.
According to the deputy general director, Karine Veilleux, this development is largely influenced by house sales that occurred at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
« The last role dates from 2022, a period when properties had not yet increased in value. At the end of COVID, there was a sharp rise in sales, especially of bungalows, which sold well above their previous assessment value. It is these transactions that influenced the new values “, she explained.
Municipal assessors rely on sales made over the past three years to calculate the new values. “ For example, if a home valued at $100,000 was sold for $175,000, they calculate the increase in value and apply an average to the entire area », specified Karine Veilleux.
An impact on municipal taxes adjusted to avoid significant increases
Although this increase in value reflects good local economic health, it does not necessarily mean an equivalent increase in revenues for the City or tax bills for citizens. “The tax base being larger, we adjust the tax rate accordingly. Municipal expenditure not having increased by 25%, this allows us to lower the tax rate, which is beneficial for everyone. ».
However, variations in tax bills remain linked to the individual increase in properties. “ A home whose value increased by 10% could see a drop in its tax bill, while a 40% increase would result in a larger increase. But what is certain is that there will not be a 25% increase in tax bills “, she reassured.
Marked differences depending on the sector
The future general director also points out that certain recent trends, such as teleworking, have contributed to a greater increase in values in certain sectors. “ If we look at cities that are not in Quebec, but which are closer to here, there is a trend toward teleworking. People tended to move more towards rural areas “. She cites as an example the Saint-Jean-de-la-Lande sector in Saint-Georges, where an increase in sales has been observed in recent years.
Some more central neighborhoods have also seen their values rise significantly. “ We also know that behind the Carrefour, there was a big boom too, »added Karine Veilleux, emphasizing that these differences in dynamics explain why increases vary considerably from one sector to another.
As the differences in increases vary by sector, adjustments will be necessary. “ The variations are very random. In some neighborhoods, increases can reach 40%, while in others they top out at 10%. “, she concluded.
The City of Saint-Georges is therefore committed to maintaining reasonable taxation despite the increase in property values, while ensuring that its revenues are balanced to meet the needs of the community.
People who wish to have access to the increase concerning their property can do so by going to the website of the City of Saint-Georges, section “Assessment and taxation roles”.
