Taxes

Kaz 2025 budget promises to keep taxes down, invest in rec spaces

By Zenith Wolfe

As the population in Kazabazua slowly rises, the municipality is promising to keep property taxes down, build more recreational spaces and hire two more municipal employees, according to the annual and triennial budgets published in December.

The municipality anticipates around $2,490,000 in revenue this year, up six per cent from $2,350,000 in 2024. The annual budget also foresees $2,540,000 in expenses, up 8.5 per cent from $2,340,000 the previous year, for an overall budget increase of around 2.5 per cent.

Kaz Mayor Robert Bergeron says every year since 2020, between five and 10 properties have been built across the municipality. Combined with property assessment values that have increased by an average of 50 per cent across much of the region in recent years, this has increased the Kaz property tax revenue by around $1M. It’s allowed the municipality to reduce the tax rate to $0.55 per $100 of property assessment, down from $0.79 in 2024, he explains.

Bergeron says the tax for waste disposal has decreased as well: septic and organic waste went up by a total of $6 per household, but residual waste went down by $5, and recycling went down by $41.

“That’s a saving of $40 right there for all houses,” Bergeron says.

This increase in revenue coincides with the municipality’s population boom. According to Canadian census data, Kazabazua had a population of 786 in 2001, but Bergeron says now the number is close to 1,100.

“Cantley and Chelsea [are] overflowing, and we’re sort of inheriting the people. People want to buy, and now is the time because the tax rate is lower than most municipalities,” he says about Kaz.

To accommodate the growing population, the mayor says Kaz is increasing investments in recreational spaces. In 2025, $20,000 will go towards a small swing set, a picnic table, and a walking path at the Lee Road park, which the municipality hopes to name soon. Another $20,000 will finance a small wharf for kayaks and canoes on the Gatineau River.

The most expensive community development planned for Kaz in 2025 is a new splash pad and well, at a price of $137,000. The municipality will then spend $25,000 a year until 2027 to install a volleyball and badminton field behind the community centre and fix the current baseball field.

“We’re making the investment for our kids. It’s been long overdue,” the mayor says. “For municipalities to develop to bring in new citizens, [they have] to bring in new activities. Development is coming to Kazabazua.”

The higher population has also increased demand for road work, maintenance and municipal cleaning services, Bergeron says, so the municipality is using part of its budget to hire a road work employee. According to the triennial budget, Kazabazua will commit more than $580,000 to road maintenance between 2025 and 2027, subsidized by Quebec’s Local Roads Assistance program.

Kazabazua will then spend around $875,000 in 2026 to repair Chemin Village d’Aylwin after it was partially destroyed by a landslide. Bergeron says that, despite the provincial government pre-approving a grant for 75 per cent of the project costs in the early 2020s, the Quebec Ministry of Environment has since requested several environmental impact reports that have stalled construction.

“We never seem to be able to meet their ever-changing expectations. Now they turn around and say our analysis was three to four years ago, so we need to do another one,” he says about the environmental report on Chemin Village d’Aylwin. “In 2026 we should be able to start [repairs], and it takes about two to three months.”

The budget also includes funds for a new assistant director-general. That person will help the director-general finish revising municipal zoning bylaws for urban, heavy industrial and mining sectors, a process that has been ongoing since 2021.

Around $26,000 will also be used to purchase a new air compressor for the local fire department this year. The mayor says it will be shared with fire departments in Lac-Sainte-Marie, Low and Denholm, each paying the same amount. In 2026 Kaz will also invest $70,000 in a new fire truck.

$1.4 million municipal garage

Kaz Mayor Robert Bergeron says the $1.4 million municipal garage that began construction in 2024 will open in March this year.

“We’ve been gathering money since 2009 for the garage and that meant no loans or payments from the citizens,” Bergeron says, adding that the province subsidized around 70 per cent of the costs. “Because of the subsidies, we had extra, so we also purchased a snowplow, and the good thing is we still have some money left from that to start our triennial plan.”

The 4,000-square-foot garage behind the municipality office will be used to store fire trucks, snow plows and tractors, as well as welding equipment and other maintenance or construction equipment for municipal staff, Bergeron says. It will also have an office and kitchen.

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Gaspé budget increases 5.5% to $38.2M

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – During a special meeting on December 16, the Town of Gaspé tabled a budget of $38.2 million for the 2025 fiscal year, reflecting a 5.5% increase over 2024. However, taxpayers will face an additional average burden of 2.39%. 

For an average property valued at $240,100, the increase will be 2.39%, which is below the annualized inflation rate of 2.7%. 

“Municipal expenses often increase faster than inflation. For example, the Sûreté du Québec bill is increasing by 3.6%, and Hydro-Québec’s by 6.1%. Bills are increasing, which explains the increase in the budget. On the other hand, the increase in the average tax bill is 2.3%, below inflation. This is a political commitment that I made 12 years ago. We are meeting the objective,” says Mr. Daniel Côté. 

The total surplus is $10 million and the Town of Gaspé is drawing $1.2 million from its accumulated surplus to balance the budget. 

The surplus is down by $3M. Other amounts taken from the surplus consist of $867,000 used for unexpected expenses, $1M to balance the 2024 budget, and $160,000 to replenish certain reserve funds. 

“It’s still a good cushion, but a good cushion where we can’t go crazy. We have to be reasonable in our approach. Having such a cushion gives us free rein to deal with several unforeseen events,” says the mayor. The town’s overall debt is $48 million, representing a little over $2 per $100 of assessment. “Our finances are very healthy,” says the mayor. 

Among the new revenues, the growth in the QST generates an additional $546,000, and compensation in lieu of Quebec taxes increased by $301,000, notably with the addition of the Maison des aînés de Rivière-au-Renard last year. 

The residual materials rate will be frozen at $260. 

The rate for the water supply and sewer will increase from $595 to $615 and the rate for emptying and treating septic tank sludge will increase from $175 to $200. 

Housing construction continues with nearly 300 rental units since 2020, including 176 private units, 66 social or affordable units and 56 units built by the CISSS via the Maison des aînés and modular homes near the CHSLD Mgr Ross. 

At the same time, 238 single-family homes or cottages have been built. The vacancy rate has increased from 0% to 1%, but there is still a long way to go to achieve a balanced market, which is considered a rate of 3% according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. 

Several other projects are underway, including the Habitations de la Montagne, where 84 affordable units are under construction in Sandy Beach, as well as the second phase of Han-Logements for a possibility of 16 to 32 additional units in Sandy Beach as well. Other discussions are ongoing with developers, including Gestion Bourgade near Ruisseau Dean Street, near downtown, which represents the creation of an entirely new neighbourhood. 

The three-year capital expenditure program includes $152 million in projects, with the largest being the Rivière-au-Renard aqueduct and sewers, estimated at $58.9 million, which has been a recurring item over several years. 

“It is moving through phases. It is a fairly complicated file with the various ministries. In wastewater, several resolutions have been adopted for future aerated ponds. All that is missing are a few final studies. We have a good idea of the site. The file continues. As for drinking water, the search for groundwater is proving inconclusive. We are heading towards a water filtration plant, probably near Lac d’Amour where the current water intake is located. It takes the financial aid that comes with it to absorb that,” notes the mayor. 

The other main issue is the sports complex near the C.-E. Pouliot High School, estimated at $34 million. This project initially suffered a refusal of funding from the Quebec government. 

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