Overseeing a team of nearly 30 employees in taxation, accounting, accounts payable, procurement, and information technology, Daniel Séguin heads into his eighth year as Director of Financial Services and Treasurer for the City of Pointe-Claire.
Having spent over 38 years working in the retail, manufacturing, and distribution sectors, Séguin’s experience encompasses nearly two decades as Director of Finance at the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) and volunteering for over a decade as Treasurer of the Food Banks of Quebec. When not sitting behind a desk, Séguin cuts loose playing hockey with the Pointe-Claire Oldtimers Hockey Club.
Séguin does more than simply crunch numbers with a pencil behind his ear. Sitting in an office filled with switches and computer equipment to replace those damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Debby, Séguin wears many hats, working closely with his teams to follow the rules and by-laws when it comes to purchasing, setting the tax rates for water and property taxes for the upcoming budget, and reducing the city’s deficit.
The difficulties involved in balancing the demands of the Agglomeration and maintaining Pointe-Claire’s services, all while keeping tax increases to a minimum, pose an immense challenge.
To establish the taxation rates — also known as the mill rate — for Pointe-Claire property owners, the job of the finance department is far more complex than simply looking at inflation or cost of living increases. The city begins by reviewing the latest property assessments provided by the City of Montreal. These valuations, updated every three years, impact residential, commercial, and industrial properties differently, requiring tailored tax rates for each category.
Describing the reasons why evaluations go up as “market-driven,” Séguin explained how transactions are recorded and include information about recent sales and construction permit notifications. The City of Montreal uses this data to set property evaluations using the following methods: a cost approach, a comparison approach, and an income approach. The comparison approach is the most commonly used, as it compares the sales of similar properties while making adjustments based on the differences to the one being assessed.
The mill rate is explained as “the amount of tax payable per dollar of the assessed value of a property,” where the rate for residential properties in Pointe-Claire in 2024 was set at $0.6261 per $100 evaluation. While the average increase in property on the new roll was 42%, the average increase in property taxes was just 3.9%. “In the last two assessment rolls, we've seen major increases. So that's why we had to [...] decrease the mill rates. If the opposite happens, then the value decreases, [and] the mill rate increases. We're trying to have a stable tax bill as much as possible.”
The mill rate is adjusted to meet the budgetary needs of Pointe-Claire and is not based on the percentage increase of a property’s value. Séguin explains that city costs generally remain stable and increase along with inflation; fuel, materials, snow clearing, and garbage collection are all indexed. On top of the expenses generated, Pointe-Claire currently contributes 54% of every tax dollar to the Agglomeration of Montreal, an increase of $5M in 2024. This is expected to go up to 56% in 2025.
Water tax is also set by the City of Pointe-Claire. As explained by Séguin, “It’s the sum of the cost divided by the volume.” After being charged a certain amount by the City of Montreal, Pointe-Claire adds “our internal cost, [...] repairs, and so on.” While the rate has been going up slightly each year, it isn’t particularly noticeable, since volumes can fluctuate and the change is negligible.
When asked if a pay-per-use system for services such as garbage collection could be implemented as a cost-saving measure, Séguin showed no enthusiasm for that suggestion. “It's all part of all the operating expense for the municipality,” he said. Pointe-Claire’s goal is to “build the budget accordingly” so that the city can continue to deliver the calibre of services for which Pointe-Claire is known.
One of the most impressive accomplishments of the finance department is how the team has tackled the city’s long-term debt. Any surplus, most of which is collected through building permits and welcome tax on residential, commercial, and industrial properties, is then redirected to the city’s reserves. Séguin explains, “Those reserves are used to offset the repayment of capital on the long-term debt.” By not having borrowed any money since 2021, Pointe-Claire has reduced its debt by nearly half in just the past three years. “Our long-term debt was $122 million. This year, we're going to be at $67 million.”
Being known for its commitment to community, Pointe-Claire also offers financial support to many local organizations and charities. Asked about how this works, the answer was simple. “We have meetings. We ask all the non-profit organizations that ask for grants to send us their financial statements. We review their financial statements. We review how much we've given them in the past, and we make recommendations to city council.” There is no set amount for these grants; instead, the city assesses the financial needs of each organization, ensuring that those in greater need receive adequate support.
“It's something that the city is choosing to do.”
Daniel Séguin will present the 2025 Pointe-Claire budget for adoption by Council on Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m.; the deliberations of Council and the question period of this special council meeting will deal exclusively with the budget. The meeting, to be held at Pointe-Claire City Hall, is open to the public and will be available for viewing online.