Pointe-Claire’s light rail transportation fee explained
When the first letter arrived, there was panic in Pointe-Claire. It stated that certain property owners living within a one-kilometre radius of a light rail station would need to pay a transportation fee and the first instalment was due May 1.
The fee would be collected by the regional transit authority ARTM for the Réseau express métropolitain (REM). REM light rail stations will be built near the Fairview Pointe-Claire shopping mall and Sources Blvd.
“We realize that the first letter raised more questions than answers and that it worried people,” Mayor John Belvedere said. “That’s why we sent a second letter.”
And just in case there was any remaining confusion, Pointe-Claire urban planning director Heather LeBlanc and permits and certificates co-ordinator Stéphane Breault gave a detailed presentation to residents at the Holiday Inn Pointe-Claire last week.
“We wanted to demonstrate that the transportation fee will have very little impact on small homes,” Breault said.
What properties are affected? Properties that undergo work that costs more than $756,150 (indexed annually) with a floor area of more than 2,002 square feet That eliminated most, if not all, property owners who attended the information session.
Belvedere told the gathering that the city is “very much in favour” of the REM project because it will improve the quality of life for residents by offering them efficient public transportation.
The 67-km REM network will have 26 stations connecting downtown, the airport, the West Island, South shore and North shore. Trains will run 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
The mayor said the transportation fee is designed to target developers more than the average homeowner.
A checklist is used to determine whether a project or property will be charged a transportation feet. Does the project involve the construction or the reconstruction of a building ? Will the square footage increase? Is the use of the building being altered, say, from residential to commercial? What is the cost of the work?
When a property owner applies for a permit from the city to start the project, the checklist is applied and if fees are due, they must be paid in full on the spot.
Seven examples were presented to give people a clear idea of when the fee is charged.
One example looked at the renovation of a single-family home measuring 2,066 square feet with the work valued at $200,000. No fees were due because the value of the work was below the limit. The square footage was over the limit, but it was not being increased and the use of the building was not changing.
Another example looked at the conversion of three condo units into a commercial space, with a total area of close to 3,500 square feet and a work budget of $1.5 million. The use was being changed and the cost of the work exceeded the minimum. The transportation fee would be roughly $18,000.
Certain properties are exempt, including public and non-profit organizations, daycares and crown corporations. The fees will be collected until the target of $600 million is reached or 50 years has passed.
During the question period following the presentation, more than one resident raised concern about noise levels increasing for people living near stations. Belvedere said the trains’ tracks were elevated at the stations and because the trains are electric, noise will be kept to a minimum.
Belvedere said he is hoping to receive details about the size of the stations and the timeline for the builds within the next 30 days.