City Hall and municipality
Administration
Budget

Budget

At the meeting of December 4, 2023, City Council adopted the 2024 budget. You can review the council meeting or consult the presentation (in French) broadcast during that evening.

The budget is set at $70,237,012, which is an increase of 7.34% compared to 2023 and includes expenditures for direct services to citizens as well as the shares paid to the Agglomération de Longueuil and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM).

The Ville de Saint-Lambert, as the other related municipalities, collects the taxes required for the Longueuil Agglomeration’s operations, in the form of a contributory “share,” which is paid directly to the Longueuil Agglomeration. For more information, you can consult the Longueuil's website.

The issue of tax equity within the Agglomeration remains unresolved. City Council will continue to work on this front, including actively monitoring expenditures and developing more equitable cost-sharing proposals.

Highlights

The city's financial situation is more encouraging. The rigorous management of the past two years, combined with a favourable budgetary situation and a lower-than-expected increase in the agglomeration's share of the tax bill, offers some flexibility.

Thanks to a more advantageous financial situation, the increase in the tax bill remains below inflation, at 4.95%, even with improved services to residents. To find out more about your tax bill, visit the Taxes and assessment page.

Investments

Controlling the debt is the main challenge faced by City Council in terms of the budget, particularly as major investments are essential if we are to continue remedying the cumulative deficit in our municipal infrastructure maintenance in order to ensure ongoing quality of life and security for citizens. Consult the three-year capital expenditure program to find out what projects are planned for this year.

Service additions

The city is investing additional resources in several priority areas to ensure quality services, including:

  • Public works: more weeks of temporary blue-collar workers to maintain and repair infrastructure and care for the urban canopy;
  • Urban Planning: a permanent position for the Head of Permits and Inspection and the addition of interns throughout the year to improve the quality and response time of service to citizens;
  • Engineering: addition of a project manager position to handle more infrastructure repairs and grant applications;
  • Public transport: extend free public transit to all seniors by offering them "Accès 65 Hors Pointe" monthly passes.

Distribution of revenues

  • In lieu of taxes: MAMH revision in compensation in lieu of taxes, applicable since January 1, 2022.
  • Transfer taxes: Decrease expected due to the slowdown in the real estate market.
  • Subsidies: A Natural Resources Canada grant under the 2 Billion Tree program and an increase in the QST one-point growth share under the 2020-2024 partnership with the Quebec Government.
  • Interest and penalties: Increase in interest income on the bank account.
  • Affectations:
    • End of the contribution from the unallocated operating surplus to fund the budget (-$200K);
    • Financing of non-recurring expenses from the allocated operating surplus ($505K).

2024 budget in $ 2023 budget in $ Difference in $ Difference in %
Taxes - Progressive cash program 4 000 000 3 750 000 250 000 6,67
Taxes - Local services 24 309 777 22 376 848 1 932 929 8,64
Taxes - Agglomeration services 27 290 004 26 312 122 977 882 3,72
Taxes - CMM 713 797 676 676 37 121 5,49
Sector taxes 88 323 80 570 7 753 9,62
Water pricing 374 275 376 975 (2 700) -0,72
In lieu of taxes 1 384 213 1 278 249 105 964 8,29
Transfer taxes 4 000 000 4 000 000 0 0
Subsidies 2 824 204 2 060 562 763 642 37,06
Town planning, public works, engineering and environment 509 950 437 460 72 490 16,57
Leisure and community life 486 425 447 700 38 725 8,65
Aquatic and youth 847 335 729 569 117 766 16,14
Library, arts and culture 224 260 203 326 20 934 10,30
Tickets 650 000 630 000 20 000 3,17
Interest and penalties 1 425 500 745 500 680 000 91,21
Others 731 825 829 735 (97 910) -11,80
Affectations 377 124 377 124 (123 600) -24,68
Total 70 237 012 65 436 016 4 800 996 7,34

Distribution of expenditures

  • Urban Planning: Increase mainly due to the addition of two inspectors and to professional fees in connection with the revamping of the land-use by-laws.
  • Human Resources and training: Increase mainly due to professional fees and the employee training budget.
  • Information Technology: Creation of an IT department, resulting from the termination of the intermunicipal agreement on December 31, 2023. Financing of $305K from the allocated operating surplus.
  • Public Works – Buildings: Increase mainly due to lease agreements signed for the relocation of City Hall. Financing of $200K from the allocated operating surplus.
  • Public Works – Repair: Increase mainly due to the higher cost of fuel as well as of parts and accessories.
  • Public Works – Parks: Increase mainly due to an increase in the number of work weeks for temporary blue-collar employees.
  • Environment, waste and forestry:
    - Increase in the residual materials contract according to the CPI and increase in the amount for fuel surcharge;
    - Increase in the forestry budget to ensure the maintenance of the urban canopy;
    - Continued the 10,000-tree planting project resulting from the grant application to Natural Resources Canada (2 billion trees program).
  • Library, arts and culture: Increase mainly due to the increase in the budget for Saint-Lambert Days and for the organization of additional events.
  • Employer contributions: Increase mainly due to the pension plan. The City will not pay more, but the amortization of the actuarial loss for the year 2022 will result in an accounting expense.
  • Progressive cash payment: Prescribed increase of $250K/year until it reaches $4M in 2024.

2024 budget in $ 2023 budget in $ Difference in $ Difference in %
City council 380 204 381 105 (901) -0.24
Grants to organizations and partnerships 70 000 105 000 (35 000) -33,33
City Management 367 165 357 745 9 420 2,63
Urban Planing 1 200 869 790 028 410 841 52,00
Administrative Services (human resources, communications, IT) 2 918 535 2 507 073 411 462 16,41
City Clerk and procurement 1 754 204 1 565 599 188 605 12,05
Finance and common expenses 1 153 510 1 014 247 139 263 13,73
Public works, engineering and environment 14 724 238 13 645 886 1 078 352 7,90
Culture and recreation 4 554 326 4 138 106 416 220 10,06
Employer contributions 3 766 088 3 410 035 356 053 10,44
Progressive cash payment 4 000 000 3 750 000 250 000 6,67
Debt service 7 344 072 6 782 394 561 678 8,28
Share - Agglomération de Longueuil 27 290 004 26 312 122 977 882 3,72
Share - Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal 713 797 676 676 37 121 5,49
Total 70 237 012 65 436 016 4 800 996 7,34

Financial reports

Four times a year—in March, June, September and December—in the spirit of openness and accountability towards its citizens, the City prepares reports on its financial statements. These reports are presented and explained during public city council meetings. For the December report, please refer to the annual financial statements (below).

Every year, the Ville de Saint-Lambert prepares a financial report on its fiscal year, which runs from January 1 to December 31. It is tabled at a public meeting of city council as soon as the audit work has been completed.

This report presents financial details pertaining to the municipality’s operations, including the following:

  • assets
  • liabilities
  • revenues
  • operating expenses
  • expenditures and revenues related to capital acquisitions.

The financial report must comply with the standards of the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire (MAMOT) governing the presentation of municipal financial statements.

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