The property tax bill for an average home valued at $495,043 in Châteauguay will increase by 3.36% in 2026. On Monday evening, the City Council adopted a budget of $142.5 million for 2026.
Translation Amanda Bennett
As a result, the tax bill for an average home will be $4,149 in 2026. This represents an increase of $135 compared to last year. The city has increased its basic property tax rate from 0.5465 per $100 of assessed value to 0.5507. Most of the increase in the tax bill is due to the door-to-door pricing portion. Drinking water and wastewater treatment represent an increase of $45.
The rate paid to the Régie Beau-Château is increasing from $61 to $118, as the Régie is including the operating costs of the indoor aquatic complex, which will open in the coming months. The increase is particularly significant this year because of the pool’s opening, but it will not be like this every year, according to Cynthia Dionne, the city’s Director of Finance. There may also be an increase next year as the city begins to repay the infrastructure costs.
The pool, like the future auditorium at Louis-Philippe-Paré High School, are two infrastructure projects that will be added to the debt in 2027. Other major infrastructure projects are also underway in the municipality, such as the realignment of Industriel and Saint-Francis boulevards, the expansion of the drinking water production plant, and the modernization of the Rodrigue-Caron pumping station. All of these projects will increase the debt, as loans are necessary to carry them out.
Investments and debt
The Director of Finance notes that the municipal team is exercising strict control over the debt. The city is increasing the amount allocated to debt and interest payments by $2.8 million. A total of $15.8 million will be dedicated to debt repayment this year. “We are also developing financing strategies to reduce what we pay in interest, for example by paying for investments in cash,” explained Ms. Dionne.
“We are investing because we have no choice, but there have been huge cuts in government subsidies, which are having an impact,” said Mayor Eric Allard. He cited the example of the provincial PRIMEAU program for water infrastructure, which has been depleted, as well as the TECQ, where the federal government has reduced its participation. This puts additional pressure on city finances.
Among its revenue diversification initiatives, the city hopes to continue its search for partnerships and sponsorships, as was the case with CMP for the 350th anniversary park and the multifunctional footbridge. The company invested nearly $900,000 in these two projects in exchange for visibility. The footbridge is a 10-year contract. A person has been hired specifically to seek out medium- and long-term partnerships. The pool could be a sponsored venue, according to the Mayor.
