Taylor Clark
LJI Reporter
Despite having sat on council during the time of the decision, independent mayoral candidate Olive Kamanyana has challenged council to rethink its decision to have citizens foot the bill for the Société de transport de l’Outaouais’ $10 million deficit with a two-part vehicle registration tax.
Although the Société de transport de l’Outaouais hoped for a $90 increase to the current $30 annual public transit contribution, council decided to implement a two-phased approach to the tax. The first $60 hike in 2025 would cover the public transit system’s deficit but no service improvements would be seen until the second increase of $30 the following year. Kamanyana later resigned from her district councillor position on April 25 as she ran for mayor.
“I made it clear that it was a very hasty decision, very quickly taken without having sincerely spent the time to lift all the stones to see how we want to absorb the Société de transport de l’Outaouais’ deficit,” said Kamanyana.
Cited as one tax too many, Kamanyana sided with the many citizens who have contested the tax since it was first raised by former Gatineau mayor France Bélisle prior to her resignation.
“What is happening is that people are tired, very tired on a budgetary level. They no longer have the means to dig into their pockets. You can see for yourself on the shelves how the prices have increased, and people do not understand how this measure comes suddenly without having had a discussion,” she said.
With her own property tax paper in hand, Kamanyana pointed to the fact that Gatineau residents already contribute to public transportation with their property taxes. “The ecological transition is very important, but the successful ecological transition will be one that is supported by all citizens. And above all, we must not impose anything on citizens without talking to them.”
The inflationary period felt by residents required a review of spending and another way of exercising leadership in expense management, said Kamanyana. If elected, she committed to quickly working with the Société de transport de l’Outaouais to help innovative management and optimize their expenses.
Photo caption: Gatineau mayoral candidate Kamanyana condemns municipal council’s decision to go forward with a vehicle registration tax to fund the Société de transport de l’Outaouais’ deficit.
Photo credit: Taylor Clark