As of January 1, 2025, Vaudreuil-Soulanges motorists living within the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) will see their registration tax increase from $59 to $150. This significant increase will help finance public transit in the Greater Montreal region.

The CMM's elected representatives were forced to adopt a resolution to this effect on Thursday. Last January, this same tax, previously levied only on Montreal territory, was extended to all CMM municipalities and Saint-Jérome, and set at $59. 

In Vaudreuil-Soulanges, only residents of L'Île-Perrot, Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Pincourt, Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Saint-Lazare, Pointe-des-Cascades, Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, L'Île-Cadieux, Hudson and Les Cèdres will be affected by this significant increase.

“Considering that the government contribution publicly evoked by the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault, would be around $200 million for the 2025 fiscal year, down $38 million from the assistance for 2024, which was already far from meeting needs, this measure aims to make up the shortfall to complete the financial framework estimated at $561 million, after optimization efforts made by transport companies. As no shortfall is permitted for municipalities, which already assume a growing share of the financing, the residual $361 million will be covered by this tax on vehicle registration, a measure now offered to all Quebec municipalities,” explains a press release issued by the CMM.

It should be noted that the financial framework for metropolitan public transit must also integrate the operating and capital costs of several new projects, including the commissioning of new REM antennas, the extension of the metro's Blue Line and the commissioning of reserved lanes.These projects, while helping to improve the region's public transit offer, entail a significant increase in the financial framework, which could rise from $3.2 billion in 2019 to $5.4 billion in 2028.

According to data published by the CMM, the next few years will be just as difficult for public transit funding, with shortfalls of $604.6 million, $670.4 million and $697.8 million for 2026, 2027 and 2028 respectively.

“Several avenues must be, and already are being, considered by elected officials, including certain optimization measures, which were raised at a meeting with Ms. Guilbault last Friday. However, legislative changes, time and transitional assistance will be needed before significant savings can be generated, enabling a way out of the public transit financing crisis.The Minister's openness suggests that progress could be made in this direction. The conclusions of the Chantier sur le financement de la mobilité durable, which are still awaited, should also make it possible to identify ways of financing the foreseeable reduction in fuel tax revenues due to the electrification of transport", explains the CMM.