Pierre Cyr, reporter

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

It was bad news for citizens in Fort Coulonge and Mansfield to learn

that the laundromat located in the heart of Fort Coulonge was closing

effective June 1.
The laundromat has been in operation since 2011.

The owners, Robert Soulard and Hélène Vaillancourt, came to this

decision because they were unable to convince the local authorities to

review the 60 per cent increase in their tax bill since May 2022.
When the owners received the increase of $4,500 in their taxes for 2022,

they thought it was a mistake. The total tax bill for their commercial

building, which includes four small businesses and four one-bedroom

apartments, is now $12,000, compared to $7,500 in 2021, even though no

improvements were made to the building over that period.
In 2013, the tax bill was $6,000, which has now doubled over the last 10-year period.
Soulard says he feels helpless in his efforts to have the Village of Fort

Coulonge review the way they calculate his tax bill, which includes

municipal services. When village representatives were not willing to

review their case, the owners came to the realization that the

laundromat, which alone costs $3,000 in taxes per year, was no longer

profitable and would have to be closed.
Approximately 50 people have been using the laundromat on a weekly

basis, most of whom will now have to go to Pembroke to do their laundry.

Soulard mentioned tourists were also frequent users of the facility,

mostly in the summer. He feels that a laundromat is an essential service for a

small community and that common sense should have prevailed.
Soulard can’t see how the village officials can justify a $12,000 yearly tax bill

for such small commercial activities. “That is not a good message to anybody

who would like to invest in the community as high tax rates are discouraging

people to operate a business or create affordable lodging spaces

in Fort Coulonge,” he told THE EQUITY.

At last Wednesday’s meeting of Fort Coulonge council, THE

EQUITY asked if the municipality had attempted to find a solution to

the problem of the large tax increase facing the laundromat. Pro-mayor

Debbie Laporte responded that the matter was private but added that the

information posted on the laundromat storefront explaining that it was

closed due to the a 60 per cent tax increase was not true.
Following an indication from the municipality that the property would be put up

for sale for non-payment of taxes, Soulard paid off the balance of his

outstanding tax bill on Monday of this week.