Budget

Each year, Council adopts the Municipality's annual budget for the next fiscal year at a special meeting held in mid-December.

The annual budget represents all operating expenses that provide Chelsea residents with essential services such as waste collection, snow removal, recreational activities, etc.

2020

Adoption of the operating budget for the year 2020

At a special meeting held on Tuesday, December 17, Municipal Council adopted its operating budget for 2020.

Official press release

Discours de la mairesse (translation to come)

Highlights

A balanced budget of $ 19.8 million

Tax increase of 3.4% caused by, among other things:

The NCC’s valuation challenge, which creates more than $280,000 of uncertainty in PILT revenues, plus the $54 000 legal and evaluation fees to be assumed by the Municipality
The $255,829 increase in the share paid to the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais, mainly due to the unexpected increase in fees for the processing of recyclable materials and fees for adapted and public transit.
The increase of more than 50% in snow removal contracts awarded throughout Quebec
Preventive slope stabilization work along Chelsea Creek (75% subsidized by the Government of Quebec)

Tax rate 2020

$0,7933 per $100 for residential evaluation
$1,1209 per $100 for non-residential evaluation

Concretely, this means an increase of $108 for a median property valued at $415 000.

Water and sewer system cost increase inevitable

Centre-village

The cost of the water and sewer system for the centre-village this year is close to the forecasts made at the beginning of the infrastructure project. The variance from previous years is explained by the increase in operations and maintenance expenses, which vary according to the number of homes and businesses connected to the network.

Water filtration plant

Purchase of two membrane banks to optimize production flow and reduce water losses
Replacement of parts for dosing pumps to prevent variances when adding chemicals
Replacement of UV lamps and probes to ensure drinking water quality
Additional professional fees to perform vulnerability analysis as requested by ~~the~~ Ministère de l’Environnement

Wastewater treatment plant

Replacement of UV lamps to ensure compliance with environmental standards
Replacement of lifting chains for greater worker efficiency and safety

Farm point

The increase for the Farm Point area is due to the need to empty aerated wastewater treatment tanks, a procedure carried out every seven to eight years to ensure water quality at the tank outlets.

Triennal Capital Expenses Program

As provided for in the Municipal Code, Council must adopt, each year, a triennal capital expenses program for the following three years. It provides a global vision of projects in order to better anticipate financial needs.

This program has to be divided into annual phases. It must detail, for the period coinciding with it, the purpose, amount and method of financing the capital expenditures that the municipality plans to make and whose financing period exceeds 12 months.