Longueuil sets 2025 property tax hike at 3.2 per cent, higher than Montreal and Laval

Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier speaks at a press conference for Montréal International in Montreal, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Christinne Muschi

Longueuil residents will see a slightly smaller property tax increase in 2025, with the average rise set at 3.2 per cent compared to 2024.

"In short, in order to achieve a balanced budget by 2025, we have decided to keep hiring to a minimum, reserving it for priority sectors only, and to streamline certain services, particularly those related to events," said Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier.

The mayor noted that the 3.2 per cent average rise per household is slightly lower than the average monthly inflation rate in Greater Montreal, which is at 3.5 per cent.

"The impact of the new assessment roll will also be spread over three years to avoid excessive variations depending on the neighbourhood and type of market in which your property is located," the mayor added.

However, Longueuil's 2025 property tax increase remains higher than Montreal's 2.2 per cent and Laval's 1.9 per cent.

The city of Longueuil said that "faced with an economic reality that remains difficult," it has included an additional $28.8 million in the budget for services offered to its citizens compared to the previous year.

The city will allocate $102.7 million for services like snow removal, road and park maintenance, collection and transportation of residual materials, and water and sewer systems.

It will also assign $48.5 million to leisure and cultural activities, including those in arenas, swimming pools, and parks, among other services.

Laval budget

Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer limited the tax rate to the aforementioned 1.9 per cent for the 2025 budget which was presented last week, saying he did so despite the "challenging inflationary context."

The city said it was able to keep the rate low by implementing a hiring freeze.

"Faced with the financial pressure that the people of Laval have to deal with on a daily basis, we have acted responsibly and efficiently," Boyer said.

"This budget exercise was developed with a very specific objective in mind: to limit the financial impact on Laval residents while ensuring that every dollar is used in the right way."