Dear Editor,
This summer has been nothing short of extraordinary for our small community of Alleyn and Cawood, and I want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who has supported our fight against the unfair property evaluation process. The solidarity we’ve seen—both from within our village and from surrounding communities—has been overwhelming.
Our campaign has been more successful than we ever imagined. We’ve collected close to 4,000 signatures—both in person and online—which is over 10 times the size of our small rural community. This shows the tremendous strength and support that has come together to fight for fairness. We are especially grateful to the surrounding communities who have stood with us.
The next step is taking our petition to the National Assembly in Quebec City, where our MNA, André Fortin, will present it on behalf of all small municipalities across Quebec. We’re advocating for the complete elimination of the comparative factor—an outdated and flawed system that has caused so much stress for property owners like us.
To date, we’ve received no response from Minister Andrée Laforest. We can only imagine that if this situation had unfolded in her riding of Chicoutimi, she would have been more responsive and fought for her constituents.
At the MRC Pontiac level, we’ve also proposed a bylaw to eliminate the comparative factor. While Warden Jane Toller has publicly supported us, we haven’t yet seen that translate into concrete action. This Wednesday’s MRC meeting is her opportunity to deliver on her commitment.
We want our proposed bylaw to pass unanimously by all 18 mayors. However, we’ve heard talk of the MRC modifying the by-law to cap the comparative factor at 1.9, but that still means property assessments could double. That’s not good enough.
Regardless of what happens, I couldn’t be prouder of the taskforce and all the work we’ve accomplished together. This summer has brought our community closer than ever, working hand-in-hand to protect our financial future and those that are most vulnerable in our community like our seniors.
It’s been a summer of solidarity, collaboration, and unwavering support, and I want to thank everyone who has been part of this journey so far.
We are all committed to continuing this fight, not just for Alleyn and Cawood, but for small municipalities across Quebec. This fight isn’t over, and we will keep going until we have a fair and updated process in place to protect property owners.
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we are stronger.
Julie Vaux, Alleyn and Cawood
