Montreal offers $10.5 million in relief to non-profit organizations

Photo: Olivier Zuida Archives Le Devoir The city claims that the hiring of 225 new resources, promised in 2022, will allow it to reduce the use of overtime and increase its revenue from fines.

Jeanne Corriveau

Published yesterday at 11:34 a.m.

• Montreal

Montreal will grant a $10.5 million reprieve to hundreds of non-profit organizations (NPOs), which will not have to pay compensation for municipal taxes.

Currently, NPOs that hold recognition from the Commission municipale du Québec because of their mission and that own the building they occupy do not pay municipal taxes, but they must pay an amount to the City that corresponds to $0.50 for every $100 of assessment. Several organizations had contacted the City on this subject in the past.

The measure announced Wednesday in the city’s 2025 budget will benefit more than 700 organizations, explained executive committee chair Luc Rabouin. “Organizations make a really significant contribution to providing services to the population. We said we would give up that revenue. We want to send them a strong message that we need them,” he said.

Mr. Rabouin indicated that this measure targets organizations such as those working in social reintegration or with a cultural vocation, as well as shelters for the homeless. “It will allow them to improve their service offering,” he said.

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The announcement was welcomed by several organizations. The compensation demanded represented “significant” amounts, in a context where property values ​​have risen significantly, Renaissance Québec indicated. “Every dollar saved through this measure can be reinvested directly in our integration programs,” stressed Éric St-Arnaud, the organization’s executive director.

For the cultural sector, this represents $2.25 million that some 70 organizations will be able to save, reported Nathalie Maillé, executive director of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM). “Major artistic venues in the city will benefit from this, including most theatres and museums, giving them a breath of fresh air in this period that is challenging their finances.”

Last week, organizations had called for better funding from the CAM. However, this will have to be satisfied with a freeze for 2025.

SPVM budget on the rise

For its part, the budget of the Montreal Police Department (SPVM) will increase to $824.3 million next year, $3 million more than in the previous budget. But while the budget forecasts had set the budget for 2024 at $821 million, in fact, the SPVM’s actual spending reached $874.5 million. The City attributes this overrun to police overtime during events such as demonstrations.

The City claims that the hiring of 225 new resources, promised in 2022, will allow it to reduce the use of overtime and increase its revenue from fines. However, she had invoked the same argument last year during the presentation of the 2024 budget. This addition of new police officers should be completed by the end of 2024, it is indicated.

The city plans to increase its fine revenues, which reached $212.5 million in 2024, to $216.5 million next year.

For its part, the budget of the Montreal Fire Department, which was $393.1 million in 2024, will increase to $408 million next year.

Read also

• Montreal promises to reduce spending
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Public transit

In terms of public transit, the contribution paid to the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain will increase by $47.2 million in 2025, reaching $762.8 million in 2025, an increase of 6.6%.

This amount takes into account the indexation of free travel for users aged 65 and over, which the administration is renewing for 2025. The cost of this measure, which is proving increasingly popular, will increase by 13.9% in 2025 to reach $39.1 million.

In its 2025-2034 Ten-Year Capital Expenditure Program, Montreal is planning to allocate $1.6 billion to implement the Vision Zero plan, as well as $300 million for the Express Bike Network, including $30 million for 2025.