Last night, city council approved the 2023 Dollard-des-Ormeaux municipal budget, with a 0% local budget increase from 2022, while ensuring that no city services are affected nor reduced. The City’s efforts allow us to reduce the total municipal tax bill that our residents will have to pay to an average increase of 8.98%, which is caused solely by the rise in the shared quota imposed by the Agglomeration of Montreal.
A strong testament to the fiscal strength and years of proper management by the City, this budget was achieved through the application of fiscal measures which included accessing the existing surplus and finding increased efficiencies in departments and revisions of ongoing projects.
Although freezing the 2023 local budget is an effort by the City to reduce the burden to residents and a delivery on the councils’ commitment to providing fiscal relief to the Dollard-des-Ormeaux residents, it is overshadowed by the increases implemented through the Shared Services Assessment of the Montreal Agglomeration.
“I am very proud of what the city staff and council have been able to accomplish. By reviewing our projects, cutting our expenditures, and using some of our surpluses, we have been able to soften the impact of the overall rate increase and hopefully avoid a rate shock to Dollard-des-Ormeaux families. Most importantly, however, is that we have been able to do this while not sacrificing our city services,” said Mayor Bottausci.
This budget follows an already approved commitment by the council to develop targeted fiscal relief initiatives like the averaging property values, considering the disproportionate rise in the Montreal Agglomeration assessment alongside other rising costs caused by interest rates and inflation.
