Average Laval property tax bill to increase by $39

No surprises.
That might best describe what the average property owner in Laval has come to expect come tax time, and what he or she will probably be able to look forward to in the spring upon receiving the 2012 municipal tax bill.

According to the budget, which was tabled by Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt at city hall at the beginning of this week, the average residential tax bill increase is supposed to be around $39 (1.4 per cent), for a house with an estimated value of $255,000, below the projected inflation rate of 2.3 per cent.

Mill rate drops
Last year’s average residential tax rate increase was a flat 1 per cent. The variation for single-family homes this year is an extra 0.1 per cent. Last year the average single-family-home tax bill rose by $30.
The city maintains that the property tax bill for more than 70 per cent of Laval homeowners is increasing at a slower rate than inflation. Taking into account increased property valuations, the city is dropping the residential mill rate by 3.3 cents, from 87.4 per $100 of valuation to 84.1.
The tax rate for buildings of six or more units is decreasing by 2.1 cents to 95.9. For non-residential buildings, the rate is dropping by 5.5 cents to $3.247. The rate for serviced vacant lots is dropping by 6.6 cents to $1,682. The mayor also announced a freeze on the water services and regional transit taxes. The basic rate for the special tax for water infrastructure renewal will stay the same at 3.8 cents per $100 of valuation.

What you can expect:
So what are residents getting for the $721.3 million the city is allocating for the coming year? Laval will be hiring 19 additional constables for the police department, and plans to distribute 3,000 costly wheeled recycling bins for small industries, businesses and institutions, thereby reducing the amount of waste going into landfill by 600 tonnes a year.
The city also states that it will be increasing public transit services for $34.6 million. This includes the purchase of 44 buses, 36 of which will be hybrids. An “automated public communications system” in the next 12 months is also mentioned, so that the city can reach residents by phone, e-mail or text with public works or emergency services messages as quickly as possible. Stricter measures for the city’s procurement and contract management system are also planned, which “should generate savings that will compensate for the additional expenses,” according to the city.

Capital works projects
As part of its three-year capital works program, Laval plans to spend more than $390 million this year on projects ranging from the reconstruction of existing infrastructure ($180.2 million), economic and urban development ($96.2 million), development of parks and acquisition of green spaces and natural areas ($26.7 million), implementation of noise abatement measures along the sides of Autoroute 440 ($12.2 million, but only half paid by the city) and improvement and expansion of roads ($11.8 million).
Three items that stand out in capital works are $10 million that is being set aside this year for the mammoth cultural and sports complex to eventually be located in “downtown” Laval; $6.2 million for the construction of an aquatic complex; and $4.1 million for a large new fire station next year.
Regarding the infrastructure work, Laval is setting aside $79.2 million for the reconstruction of various streets and boulevards, $61.2 million for refurbishment and maintenance at three water treatment plants, $15.2 million to upgrade and maintain street, bicycle and pedestrian networks, and $7.9 million to maintain arenas and other community facilities.

More projects in 2012
As part of the administration’s relatively new but ambitious ÉvoluCité urban development project for Laval’s centre, the city is allocating $8.7 million to upgrade sections of the currently underdeveloped Daniel Johnson and du Souvenir boulevards – an area Laval hopes will eventually become more widely known as the Quartier de l’Agora once it is built up.
The still very rural Saint-Elzéar Blvd. is slated for modernization in 2012, costing $5.3 million. Chomedey Blvd., which currently terminates in the north around the intersection of Saint-Elzéar, is going to be extended even further for around $1 million. Cycling paths will be developed in Sainte-Dorothée on Principale St. and Bord-de-l’Eau Rd. for $2.1 million, as well as at the eastern end of Laval between the Centre de la nature and the former Saint-Vincent-de-Paul penitentiary for $500,000.
In terms of social housing, Laval plans to create 233 new subsidized housing units and a further 178 units are under study. The city claims also to have earmarked funds to set up a new service centre for stray or unwanted pets and other animals, although the budget doesn’t state a specific amount.