JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West
Several residents living on two streets in Baie d’Urfé say the town’s tight deadline to change their aging septic systems is forcing them to take on a hefty cost on a very tight timeline. And they need some wiggle room.
“It’s a heavy burden,” said Bing Wu, who had moved into his house on Magnolia Street with his family about two and a half years ago.
“We’re having difficulties getting this item into our financial planning,” Wu said, explaining he expects it will cost him about $30,000 to replace his septic system. “Basically, we’re struggling, and we’re not alone in our neighbourhood.”
Wu’s house is one of 27 on Magnolia and Balsam streets whose owners received a notice from the town last November after inspections showed their septic systems did not meet provincial standards and would need to be replaced. The deadline to replace the systems was set at December 2026. The notice also explained that those who refuse to comply could face fines from the Quebec government ranging from a minimum of $1,000 for a first offence all the way up to a maximum of $100,000 for a third offence.
Replacing a septic system isn’t an easy process. It can take anywhere between three to five weeks and cost upwards of $30,000 for replacing tertiary systems – one of the more advanced septic systems. That price tag is making Magnolia and Balsam residents balk, explained François Gilbert, another resident of Magnolia.
For the past several months, both Gilbert and Wu have been meeting and discussing with the owners of the other 25 houses on both streets whose septic systems need replacing. They said that the heavy cost, along with the December 2026 deadline are causing no shortage of concern in the neighbourhood.
Homeowners are also having trouble finding and booking companies specializing in the replacement of these systems, he said. Few such companies exist in the West Island. For the handful of companies that can do the work, Gilbert pointed out that summertime is their busiest season, making it difficult to carve out a few weeks to carry out the work.
Gilbert and Wu said they only know of one homeowner among the 27 who has had their septic system replaced so far.
For the majority of residents, Gilbert explained, “there’s no way we’re going to be able to meet the deadline.”
Town declines deadline extension
Gilbert, Wu and other residents have been asking the town to extend the deadline, possibly by a few years. A formal letter requesting this extension signed by more than 20 homeowners on Magnolia and Balsam was sent to the town in early spring. But to date, the town is sticking to the timeline.
The council has repeated on several occasions that the timeframe being offered for this project is fair.
“Even a two-year timeframe is a very long time to do work like this,” said Mayor Heidi Ektvedt in a March interview, describing the December 2026 deadline as “very generous.”
Ektvedt pointed out that the province’s 2019 wastewater law puts the onus on homeowners to pay for their own septic system replacement and that it is the municipality’s responsibility to ensure that residents comply. She added that the town cannot get involved in replacement work or even recommend businesses to carry out the work.
Residents have raised their concerns at the town’s February, March and April council meetings, sometimes resulting in arguments between the mayor and the residents. Ektvedt pointed out at the March meeting that homeowners can take advantage of a Quebec government tax credit for this project of up to $5,500.
“You know, $5,500 compared to $30,000, it’s not much help,” said Wu of the credit.
Ongoing townwide initiative
The town’s ultimate plan is for all aging septic systems in Baie d’Urfé to be replaced to meet the provincial standards. After Magnolia and Balsam, the town will continue street by street, informing homeowners about whether their systems need replacing and giving them a deadline to make the upgrades. The vast majority of homes in Baie d’Urfé use septic systems. Only a few streets close to Highway 20 are connected to a municipal sewer system.
Gilbert and Wu said they had met with the town’s director-general Nicolas Bouchard in June to discuss the issues, but no compromise was reached. They added that Bouchard predicted that between 50 to 60 per cent of septic systems in Baie d’Urfé will likely need to be replaced. Bouchard was unavailable for comment last week.
Baie d’Urfé communications coordinator Justin Mah confirmed Monday that there is still no timeline for when inspections of systems on other streets will be carried out or when homeowners could receive notices.