A Budget that Addresses our Communities' Challenges

Good day,

The highlights of Gatineau's 2018 budget, the first of the new Municipal Council, are as follows.

We adopted a balanced and reasonable budget. We are pursuing the significant continuous infrastructure improvement and massive catch-up efforts undertaken in the past few years, focusing on strategic investments in a select few projects or partnerships to improve residents' quality of life, specifically: speed reduction in school zones, more water playgrounds and pool hours, better snow clearing, revitalization of our older urban cores and of the downtown, and financial support for the Dalton ecological park and the Old Aylmer public market.

We are facing complex budget issues that will raise many questions. You can go to the municipal Web site, through Où vont mes taxes? for details on your tax account, or feel free to contact your elected representatives if you have any questions or comments.

I would like to thank all of the elected officials for their participation and contributions throughout the budget process. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions made by all those in the municipal administration who contributed from near or far. Once again, the budget review exercise has been a testament to the rigour, prudence and transparency of the public administration.

It is thanks to such invaluable cooperation that we are now able to bring Gatineau residents a budget that addresses our communities' challenges.

Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin,
Mayor

• Budget highlights
• Mayor's speech
• 2018 budget (in French only)
• 2018 budget pamphlet
• Où vont mes taxes? (in French only)

Budget highlights

A $599.8 million balanced budget

On December 18, Gatineau Municipal Council adopted the 2018 budget, a $599.8 million balanced budget.

This year's tax increases fall under two categories:

* Corresponding to the Bank of Canada target consumer price index (CPI).

The debt is under control

Debt servicing now only comes to 10.5% of spending. Close to 60% of our infrastructure investments are paid in cash, which helps ensure intergenerational equity for tomorrow's taxpayers.

The Commission de révision des dépenses et des services

The Commission's work since 2013 has helped generate $15.4 million in annual permanent savings, one year ahead of the 2018 deadline.

New: duties on transfers of immovables

Effective January 1, 2018, duties on transfers of immovables will be higher for that part of the transaction that is in excess of $1,000,000, which will essentially not affect the residential sector. This measure will generate an additional $2 million annualy for Gatineau.

Service improvements

Gatineau is investing in improving services to the public.

• Residual materials management program $1,065,000
• Valorization of urban forests $1,000,000
• Revitalization and activities for the former downtowns $500,000
• Greater municipal visibility, including the Gatineau for Life campaign $480,000
• Preventive maintenance programs in plants and valve verification program $450,000
• New water playgrounds $300,000
• Downtown activities $250,000
• Additional funds for snow clearing contracts $225,000
• Events management strategy $150,000
• Extended hours for outdoor swimming and wading pools $100,000
• Permanent cultural pathway $100,000
• Continuation of the school zone safety program $80,000
• Activities for Dalton park and the Rivière-Blanche shoreline park $65,000
• Ecological measures subsidy program $50,000
• Environmental intervention program at lac Beauchamp $37,000
• Old Aylmer public market $25,000
• New free compost distribution program $25,000

Massive investments for 2018-2020

Total investments for the next three years will be $387 million, including $127.3 million in 2018, as follows:

• water supply and sewer systems $36.4 M
• water and wastewater treatment plants $32.8 M
• roads $22.9 M
• active transportation $7.5 M
• social housing and the residential renovation program $4.6 M
• upgrading municipal buildings $4.5 M
• developing parks and green spaces $3.3 M
• traffic and road safety $2.1 M

Gatineau will pursue its investment efforts in the following areas:

• renovation of water and wastewater treatment plants $151 M
• revitalization of two major commercial arteries:
  • boulevard Saint-Joseph $58.8 M
  • rue Notre-Dame $19.3 M
• water discolouration intervention plan $53 M
• emerald ash borer interventions $5 M