The mayors require the third-party revenues related to cannabis

Archival Photo Simon Clark
Alexandre Cusson, president of the UMQ.

Taïeb Moalla

Friday, 16 February 2018 19:36

UPDATE
Friday, 16 February 2018 19:43

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Believing that ” time is of the essence “, the Union of municipalities of Quebec (UMQ) requires that the next budget Leitao contains the transfer to cities of the third party income total tax cannabis.

This is what Alexandre Cusson, president of the UMQ, has called for noon Friday, at the conclusion of the meeting of the board of directors of the organization in Lévis. The municipalities seek to Quebec to receive one third of revenues related to the legalisation of cannabis, from the summer of 2018.

“The municipalities will take their responsibilities in this folder, has served Mr. Cusson. However, they need to quickly find the sums for which they may have. “

The latter insisted ” that a promise of federal [legalise cannabis] does not become a municipal tax “.

To assume the expenses

According to Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, chairman of the caucus of large cities, these transfers will allow municipalities to ” assume the new costs related to the implementation of the legalisation of cannabis “.

Moreover, he pointed out that ” the government of Quebec is the only taxpayer who does not pay his taxes “.

Before even thinking about lowering the school tax, in Québec should first refund to the municipalities the full compensation in lieu of taxes, including in relation to the services to schools and hospitals, he remarked.

The UMQ calculates the shortfall for the municipalities to $ 150 million per year.