A budget of decisions

On December 9, Gatineau's Municipal Council adopted a balanced budget of close to $547 million for 2015. Thus, for a median residential tax account, the increase is equivalent to 2.9%, or $70 (on a property assessed at $237,700). Of this 2.9%, 1.9% will be to increase the tax base, and is equivalent to the target Bank of Canada consumer price index (CPI), and 1% represents the dedicated infrastructure tax. These investments are critical if we are to limit the deterioration of infrastructures and, ultimately, limit expenditures. In 2015, Gatineau will continue to reassess its approaches in order to further improve its efficiency. It also intends to continue diversifying its revenue sources in order to reduce its dependence on property taxes. Keeping spending under control Budget highlights Videoclips of the Mayor: Un budget de décisions (in French only) Le contrôle des dépenses (in French only) Une dette sous contrôle (in French only) Les revenus (in French only) La diversification des revenus (in French only) Le plan d'investissement : faire des choix (in French only) Des investissements record dans les infrastructures (in French only) Des projets de développement (in French only) Mayor's Speech 2015 budget (in French only) Summary of revenues and expenditures News release

Where is your money going?

Keeping spending under control

The Commission de révision des dépenses et des services enabled Gatineau to achieve recurrent savings in the order of $6.3 million. In reassessing some of our practices, Gatineau was able to avoid an additional $3.4 million in costs.

However, this rigorous exercise was undermined by the transitional fiscal pact for 2015. As a result, some difficult choices had to be made in this budget.

The work on reducing Gatineau's budget growth will continue with the objective of achieving $15 million in recurrent savings by 2018.

Budget highlights

Infrastructure maintenance work: record investments of $171 million

• Road repairs: $33 million
• Water supply and sewer system repairs: $51 million
• Municipal buildings: $6 million
• Radio communication: $17 million
• Plants and pumping stations: $32 million
• Housing: a minimum of $3 million
• Renewal of the vehicle and equipment fleet: $7.2 million ($22.7 million over four years)
• Computer services: $4.3 million ($21.5 million over five years)
• $3 million to redesign our facilities next to the new $75 million Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) garage

Development projects to improve the quality of life and to create wealth: $67 million

• Development of the downtown:
  • $32 million to double annual municipal investments in the downtown, the priority being on the development of the ruisseau de la Brasserie and Aubry/Laval areas, and
  • the subsidy aimed at promoting residential construction will be extended until 4,000 new dwellings have been built.
• Improvement of the library network:
  • $21.9 million will be invested in libraries. The priority will be the construction of a library in the Plateau area, followed by the renewal of the Lucy-Faris and Guy-Sanche libraries.
• Other projects throughout Gatineau ($10.1 million):
  • renovation of parc des Cèdres,
  • heritage protection of the Deschênes rapids,
  • oxygenation of lac Beauchamp,
  • urban revitalization of the old city centres in the Aylmer, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers sectors, and
  • significant investments to stimulate the utilitarian use of bicycles, including a new pathway connecting the Masson-Angers and Buckingham sectors along rivière du Lièvre.

Summary of revenues and expenditures