Montreal’s demerged cities say they’re paying too much for services

Demerged cities are upset over a recent order because they argue it will lock in their expenses at unfair rates.

Many of Montreal’s demerged city mayors believe they are paying too much for services they aren’t necessarily getting.

Montreal West Mayor Beny Masella says he feels the demerged cities have been thrown under the bus.

A recent decree released by Municipal Affairs Minister Andree Laforest states all demerged cities will bear 18 per cent of the cost of services provided by the City of Montreal even though they only account for 12 per cent of the population.

“What we wanted to have done was to have other methods incorporated into that,” Masella says.

“So taking into account user pay principals, taking into account population principals to make sure that the division of the cost is more fair.”

Masella says billing should be based on the amount of public services the 15 suburban municipalities receive, not on property values.

Those services include public security, fire services, water and public transit.

Pointe-Claire Mayor John Belvedere agrees.