Plante administration open to property tax deferral for low-income seniors

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The Plante administration says it’s open to permitting seniors a break on all or a part of their property tax payments till after they promote their properties.

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The concept comes from a movement that opposition social gathering Ensemble Montréal intends to introduce at subsequent week’s metropolis council assembly, throughout a yr Montrealers are dealing with the steepest property tax will increase in additional than a decade.

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The concept follows fashions already in place in Alberta and Saskatchewan and was an electoral promise of each Ensemble Montréal and the ruling Projet Montréal within the 2021 marketing campaign.

“These are individuals who have lived of their neighbourhoods for 30, 40 or 50 years and now they are often pressured to maneuver with a view to discover one thing extra reasonably priced,” mentioned Aref Salem, interim chief of Ensemble Montréal. “On the human aspect, it’s extraordinarily tough to take away somebody from their milieu with all of the stress that includes.”

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Salem mentioned the Plante administration ought to be open to the concept, because it was in its electoral platform for 2021.

“We had been anticipating the Plante administration to provide you with one thing this yr,” he mentioned.

Within the metropolis of Saskatoon, anybody 65 or older who meets particular earnings {qualifications} is allowed to defer the cost of all or a part of their tax payments and library charges till such time as they promote their properties. There are a number of choices obtainable, together with the flexibility to defer simply the will increase in tax payments over time. An curiosity charge of 4 per cent per yr is added to the general invoice.

Salem mentioned town isn’t permitted to behave alone on such a matter, so the decision will name on town to start discussions with the provincial authorities about methods to put in place such a measure.

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He mentioned this can assist seniors stay of their properties for so long as attainable, as an alternative of relocating for monetary concerns.

“I don’t see how the administration can vote towards this,” Salem mentioned. “In the event that they vote with us, it should give us a robust voice to talk with the province and ask for one thing for our seniors residing on mounted incomes.”

He mentioned the measure will in all probability not price town a lot misplaced income since it should nonetheless accumulate the tax cash at a later date. Nevertheless, it’s vital to get the ball rolling on this measure now as a result of it should in all probability take a number of months to place in place and never be relevant for this yr’s property tax payments.

“Now we have to begin performing now with a view to put this in place for the third yr of the Plante administration’s four-year time period,” Salem mentioned.

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Talking for Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, Marikym Gaudreault mentioned the opposition’s movement is an fascinating one which the administration will focus on at Monday’s council assembly.

Gaudreault mentioned the Plante administration has already adopted measures to assist town’s seniors, like permitting them to experience transit at no cost beginning in July.

“We all know that our seniors are significantly affected by high-rising inflation charges with mounted incomes and rising prices,” Gaudreault wrote in a press release. “Because of this we determined to go forward with free public transit for the aged this yr, with a view to give them a little bit of a break. Clearly, we’re evaluating different alternate options to assist as a lot as attainable so seniors can proceed to reside within the metropolis and revel in peace of thoughts.”

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