JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The owners of an average home in Pincourt will see their property taxes rise by 3.4 per cent in 2024, according to the town’s new $29.96-million budget approved last month.

The increase means the owners of an average house valued at $371,835 will receive a tax bill of $3,320 this year, a $110 increase over the $3,210 charged in 2023. Last year, the taxes on that same home jumped $150, or 4.9 per cent, bringing the overall hike in taxes on that property since the end of 2022 to $260, or 8.5 per cent.

The residential property tax rate for 2024 has been set at $0.6585 per $100 of valuation, up from the 2023 rate of $0.6379.

Included in the calculation of each tax bill is a $218 annual water tax, up from $210 last year; a $280 sewer services tax, unchanged from last year; and a $228 garbage tax, up from $202 last year.

“Since the last election, the municipal administration, council and I have worked towards improving the daily lives of our citizens,” said Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau in a prepared statement. “Despite inflation, we managed to curb the increase in municipal taxes from 2022.”

“We understand that any increase can be a burden on some households,” Comeau added. “However, this measure remains essential to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens.”

Overall, the town’s $29.96-million budget represents about $1.4 million more in spending this year as compared with 2023. Among the biggest increases are services beyond the municipality’s control. Some of those charges include the town’s contribution to the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, which jumps to $1.9 million in 2024, a 5.41-per-cent increase compared with 2023; and its fees for the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, which account for $331,500, an increase of 13 per cent compared with last year. Pincourt will pay $2.26 million is fees for policing services from the Sûreté du Québec this year, which represents a 6.54-per-cent increase compared with 2023. Also, the town’s contribution to the regional transit authority, or Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain, comes to almost $759,000 this year, a 4-per-cent hike over last year.

The cost for the town’s garbage collection contract for 2024 also took a sharp increase, hitting $761,500, representing a 27.55-per-cent jump over the $597,500 spent in 2023.