C-47.1 - Municipal Powers Act

Section 84.6 Disposition versions

2023-12-08

84.6. A local municipality may, by by-law and in accordance with the policy directions defined for that purpose in its planning program, establish an assistance program aimed at encouraging new residents to settle in its territory if the following conditions are met:

(1)  the municipality is not situated in a census metropolitan area;

(2)  the municipality has a population of less than 5,000 inhabitants; and

(3)  according to the estimates of the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the variation in the municipality’s population has been less than 0.5% for at least three years, or a proportion that is equal to or greater than 30% of its population is 65 years of age or older.

Assistance may be granted only for the purpose of promoting the acquisition of land, situated in a part of the territory of the municipality that is determined by the municipality and included within an urbanization perimeter that is delimited in a land use planning and development plan, on which to build the principal residence of the beneficiary of the assistance. The assistance may take the form of land alienated free of charge or on preferential terms, or of a subsidy or tax credit.

The duration of the assistance program must not exceed five years, but the program may be renewed if the conditions set out in the first paragraph continue to be met.

The by-law must be approved by the Minister if the annual average of the total value of the assistance that may be granted exceeds $25,000 or 1% of the total appropriations provided for in the municipality’s budget for its operating expenses for the current fiscal year, whichever is higher.

After the adoption of a by-law submitted to the Minister for approval, the municipality must give public notice describing the object of the by-law and stating the right of any taxpayer to send his or her written objection to the Minister within 30 days following publication of the notice.

Each year, a report on the assistance granted under the program is submitted to the council of the municipality. The report is then published on the municipality’s website or, if it does not have a website, on the website of the regional county municipality whose territory includes that of the municipality.

2023, c. 33, s. 32.