STO proposes $90 hike to vehicle registration

Taylor Clark

Owning a car in Gatineau could cost motorists another $90 if a recommendation from the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) is approved by the municipal council.

The STO has suggested the City take advantage of Bill 39, which gives municipalities authority to impose a tax on vehicle registration and hike the current $30 annual contribution up by $90 come January. The increased registration rate would allow $15 million in revenue to be collected and re-injected directly into improving services.

“What we are proposing, obviously, is ambitious, and it will guarantee results,” Buckingham district councillor and vice-president of STO’s board of directors Edmond Leclerc told journalists on March 38. “Everyone is aware of this right now in Gatineau. Public transportation is not at a level that allows 100 per cent compliance.”

The anticipated revenue from registrations was expected to improve public transportation service which has been plagued by financing and human resource challenges by 6.1 per cent. The significant jump in taxation would be reflected in a clear improvement in frequency and quality of service, stressed Leclerc.

“This concrete gesture would demonstrate the seriousness that we give to the climate change crisis in Gatineau, the importance of sustainable mobility and the legacy that we wish to leave to our future generations.”

Drivers in the Montreal region experienced a similar contribution last year with its tax raising from $45 to $59. When asked why Gatineau would see a much higher rate, Leclerc explained the recommended $90 would fill the structural deficit left by no new income from Quebec.

But the exodus of Ontario license plates in Gatineau presents a problem that is difficult to fix, said Leclerc.

“Everyone is passing the buck a bit on this but if we want this measure to work, we will obviously have to find a solution to resolve this problem … The exodus of license plates harms our community, it harms our public transportation.”

Gatineau’s municipal council will have the final call to either accept or reject the STO’s recommendation.

Photo caption: The Société de transport de l’Outaouais seeks a $90 increase in vehicle registration fees, which are an annual public transportation contribution to improve the frequency and quality of services.

Photo credit: Société de transport de l’Outaouais Facebook