Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated costs to deal with it, the City of Mont-Joli adopts a balanced budget and offers a property tax freeze for a fourth consecutive year.“All building categories also remain at the same rate as in 2020», Specifies the City in a press release.
All residential rates also remain at the same prices, “with the exception of the household garbage collection rate which increases by $ 15», Confirms the City.
“This enviable situation is explained by rigorous management of public funds, respect for the financial framework and wind revenues which allow us to improve our service offer without increasing the tax burden of Mont-Joliens and Mont-Joliennes.», Explained the mayor, Martin Soucy.
This will also be the first year in which the Mont-Joli tax account will be standardized across the entire territory, including the former municipality of Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
The city’s budget will amount to $ 13 million in 2021, an increase of 3.8% compared to last year.
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Canada to receive first doses of vaccine next week
Canada will receive 249,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during the month of December, pending approval by Health Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the first deliveries could arrive as early as next week. “This news means that we can get ahead of our vaccination plan,” said the Prime Minister. Before the first Canadian is inoculated, however, the vaccine must get the green light from authorities, who are also currently reviewing vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will be dispensed in 14 distribution sites located in the country’s main urban centers. These centers are preparing to first vaccinate the priority groups identified by the government. Under agreements with the Canadian government, millions of doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are expected in early 2021.
Flood of visitors in the orange zone in Saint-Sauveur While Quebec is recording records for new COVID-19 infections, Saint-Sauveur establishments are overheating. The mayor of this village in the Laurentians is demanding police roadblocks to stem the flow of tourists from the red zones. Despite the grievances of a large number of its citizens, the municipality of Saint-Sauveur is the most accessible destination for Montrealers. “I ask the Government of Quebec to legislate, to help us, Saint-Sauveur. Either by setting up roadblocks, or by allowing the police of the Sûreté du Québec to issue tickets to those from the red zones who come to our restaurants, ”implored Jacques Gariépy, in an interview with Le Devoir. On Saturday, his town on the border of the orange zone was once again stormed by tourists from the red zones. Almost all establishments were fully booked for dinner. By the way, a waiter admits that his regular clientele is “quite frustrated” with the crowd of tourists from the red zone. “I’m sure we’re going to have to shut down too if things continue the same,” he explains. “If the government doesn’t help us, it’s only a matter of time before everything is shut down. I find it easy, to say we let Saint-Sauveur go until it turns red, ”laments the mayor.
This increase is attributable to landfill costs and paratransit and public transportation, which rose respectively by $ 93,000 and $ 97,000 annually.
Mont-Joli’s debt stood at $ 6.8M in December 2019 and it will approach $ 12.4M at the end of December 2020, according to City estimates.
Pandemic costs
If he was unable to advance a total sum of the costs that the City had to absorb due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Soucy nevertheless confirmed that Mont-Joly was able to count on assistance of $ 300,000. from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
“This money allows us to fill the shortfalls in income that were budgeted for, among other things, in leisure: room rentals, ice cream rentals and the swimming pool.», Explained Mr. Soucy. “Naturally, too, COVID-19 has led us to purchase additional protective equipment for our staff and for the users of our municipal buildings.”
According to the Director of Finance and Treasurer of the City, Steve Corneau, part of this sum from the ministry has been reserved for 2021 and for the future impacts of the pandemic.
The City also drew $ 200,000 from its accumulated surplus in order to achieve a balanced budget.
Mont-Joli also presented its three-year capital plan 2021-2022-2023.
The municipal administration is forecasting spending of $ 11 million for this period, including $ 6.7 million in 2021.
Among the expenditures planned for next year, the City highlights the Beaupré residential development, estimated at $ 1.2 million, and the first phase of the extension of infrastructure in the Pierre-De Bané industrial park, estimated at 200,000. $.
