The Town of Sutton’s 2025 budget: reasonable and forward-looking
The municipal council and administration of the Town of Sutton are proud to present the upcoming 2025 budget, which was unanimously adopted at the special meeting of December 18, 2024. With tax increases below the annual inflation rate, the Town wishes to continue its dynamic and measured management of the municipal treasury.
“With tax increases ranging from -0.11% to 1.39%, depending on the sector, the Town is undoubtedly proposing one of the most moderate increases among Brome-Missisquoi municipalities,” said Mayor Robert Benoît. “We congratulate ourselves on having achieved this feat while maintaining the level and quality of our services to citizens, and pursuing structuring projects for the town’s development.”
The Town of Sutton’s 2025 budget will total $16,148,677, maintaining a balance between operating expenses and operating revenues.
General Manager Pascal Smith said he was very pleased with the collaboration of each of the department directors, with whom he was able to build a budget that was both reasonable and ambitious, to meet the needs and expectations of our citizens.
In 2025, taxpayers will see their bills rise by an average of 1.19% in the Village sector and 1.39% for properties not served by municipal water and sewer services. Taxes in the Mountain sector will even be reduced by -0.11%! These figures are based on the average assessed value of a residence in Sutton, which is $472,939 in 2025. Details and tax simulations by sector can be found on pages 10 to 15 of the 2025 Budget Presentation (please note that the budget’s presentation is in French only and will be translated in January, 2025).
Steadily rising co-payments
For the past three years, the Town has been aiming to reduce the share of the unallocated surplus reserve used to balance the budget: from $1,500,000 in 2022, to $750,000 in the 2023 budget and then to $250,000 in the 2024 budget, it could not be brought down to zero in 2025, as planned, mainly due to the substantial and unexpected increase in the MRC and Sûreté du Québec co-payments. The mayor commented: “The MRC’s share will increase by 9.6% in 2025, on top of the 13.45% increase already experienced in 2024: in three years, it has thus risen from $662,9040 to $824,887, which is far too much for a small municipality like ours. For its part, the Sûreté du Québec’s share has also risen by 9.6%, to $1,709,977. Out of a budget of $16 million, an amount of $1.7 million represents a huge share, while we are not seeing any more services. Two resolutions have been passed calling for a review of the methods used to distribute these shares.” (see the two resolutions below)
A responsible Three-year Capital Expenditure Program (PTI)
The previous Three-year Capital Expenditure Program (PTI) presented major road projects that were successfully completed as planned in 2024 by the Public Works and Fixed Assets Department, including the northern section of Western Street, and the replacement of the huge culvert on Chemin Réal and Chemin de la Vallée Missisquoi.
For 2025, the new PTI includes a budget of $4,279,730 for projects that will directly benefit the population, such as the redevelopment of Parc Gagné, the development of the dog park, the renovation and development of the former Calvary church, the refurbishment of certain strategic streets such as Chemin Réal and Pine Street and, finally, the return of the participatory budget.
Link to all financial information on the 2025 budget on our website: Citizen services/Treasury/Financial information/Municipal budgets/Year 2025
Presentation of the Town of Sutton’s Budget 2025
To view the special council meeting of December 18, 2024
To read Resolution 2024-12-432 – Declaration of the Town of Sutton concerning the 2025 budget of the Brome-Missisquoi MRC
To read Resolution 2024-12-433 – Declaration of the Town of Sutton concerning the 2025 billing of the Sûreté du Québec