JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Homeowners in Beaconsfield will see another property tax increase this year as the average tax bill is set to go up by 3.3 per cent, according to the city’s $63.2-million budget approved last month.

The owners of an average single-family house now valued at over $1 million, at $1,033,418, can expect to pay $7,261 in municipal taxes in 2025, up by $231 from last year.

The municipality’s taxation rate also saw a slight increase – homeowners will pay 62.32 cents per $100 of home valuation, which is almost two cents more than in 2024. Fees for garbage collection are up by $5 for a total of $215, while water fees remain stable at $40.

Overall, Beaconsfield will increase its spending in 2025 by $3.3 million compared with 2024 for a total this year of $63.2 million.

The largest areas of expense in the 2025 budget are general administration ($12.37 million), road work ($12 million) and public security ($11.76 million)

The budget was passed at the town’s Dec. 16 special council meeting. At the meeting, Mayor Georges Bourelle acknowledged the large role the Montreal Agglomeration council plays in the taxation of Beaconsfield residents.

The agglomeration manages shared services across the island, including transit, social housing and emergency services. Around half of Beaconsfield’s annual budget – $31.9 million – will go toward agglomeration payments.

However, several mayors of demerged West Island municipalities, including Bourelle, have claimed that their towns have been overtaxed and underserved by the agglomeration. Beaconsfield launched a lawsuit in 2020 claiming the agglomeration council was overcharging for regional services. The lawsuit is ongoing.

During the Dec. 16 meeting, Bourelle recommended that residents who are curious as to why their taxes keep rising participate in question-and-answer sessions with the agglomeration council.

“That budget has a huge impact on your taxes,” he said at the meeting.

Beaconsfield council also approved the city’s three-year capital expenditures program, which will see $93.5 million spent in 2025-2027 on upgrades and renovations to public parks, facilities and infrastructure.

Notable expenditures will include continued funding for the construction of a cultural centre at Centennial Park, the development of several bike paths, a renovation project for the interior of city hall, and maintenance and upgrades for numerous parks, public pools and community centres.

Of the $93.5 million, the town has marked just under $22.1 million to be spent this year.