By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
City officials in Cowansville presented the municipality’s 2025 budget at a council meeting on Dec. 16. The budget, totalling just under $37 million, will be “focused on responding to citizens’ needs and requests over the past few years,” said Mayor Sylvie Beauregard, who recently confirmed her own plans to run for a third term. She called the budget balanced, responsible and future-oriented.
According to the city’s three-year infrastructure plan, released in tandem with the budget and presented by director general Claude Lalonde, major planned investments in 2025 include upgrades to the town’s water pumping and filtration systems and ongoing work to separate the water and sewage networks (a total of nearly $4.9 million of which $4 million is expected to be paid by provincial grants), land acquisition for future use ($2.76 million), ongoing watermilfoil prevention, upgrades to lighting and walking trails in city parks, new pickleball courts, a permanent gazebo at the nature centre, the construction of an outdoor education space in Parc des Colibris as outlined in the participatory budget and the acquisition of a new garbage truck. The city is also setting aside $285,000 to fund Lake Davignon preservation efforts, and establishing a new fund for upgrades to water service ($560,000).
Longer-term projects include preparing for the city’s 150th-anniversary celebrations in 2026 and renovating the indoor aquatic centre, the only one of its kind in the municipality. Beauregard said renovating the centre, which opened in 1968, is “a very expensive operation” and a needs analysis needed to be carried out to see what form renovations might take.
In order to finance these projects, help the city pay down its debt and pay the city’s contributions to the Sûreté du Québec and MRC Brome-Missisquoi, a slight tax increase is planned for most types of property. Single-family homes and agricultural buildings will be taxed at 62.5 cents per $100 of assessed value, up from 62 cents last year. Other types of property which will be taxed at a higher rate are commercial buildings with a value under $800,000 (up from $1.740 to $1.762 per $100), commercial buildings over $800,000 (up from $1.940 to $1.964), industrial buildings under $800,000 (up from $1.760 to $1.782), industrial buildings over $800,000 ($1.960 to $1.984) and serviced vacant land ($1.24 to $1.25). The tax rate for multi-unit residential buildings with six or more units will stay unchanged at 72 cents per $100.
Flat rates for most city services will rise. Property owners paying a flat rate for water service will now pay $210 for the service itself and $180 for water treatment, up from $197 and $152 respectively. The increase, according to budget documents, “will be used to create a reserve for water services. Starting in 2024, any excess pricing over the annual cost of water services will be set aside. The accumulated amounts will be used for unforeseen events, to pay for future investment activities related to water services and thus reduce debt.”
Combined garbage removal fees will total $146 ($92 for trash and $54 for compost). The town’s compost program will be expanded to cover apartment buildings of six or more units. Recycling centre fees will rise from $32 to $37, and for those who use septic tanks, the emptying fee will go up from $65 to $99 due to a price raise by a third-party contractor. The pool levy will remain the same ($35 for above-ground pools and $70 for in-ground). For commercial properties using water counters, water and water treatment rates will creep up to a combined 95 cents per cubic metre from 90 cents. According to the budget presentation, the average single-family home will owe $65.50 more in taxes and utilities than last year, a 2.25 per cent increase.
Detailed information on the budget and three-year infrastructure plan is available on the city website.