School Taxes
All owners of taxable property in the province of Québec must pay school taxes.  The current Education Act directs school boards in the process of invoice and collection of school taxes.  Property owners are responsible to ensure payment is made.

The Western Quebec School Board sends the taxation invoice to the property owner.  The City or Municipal Regional County forwards the property owner’s address to the school boards for taxation purposes.  There may be a lapse of time in the transfer of new address information therefore verification can be made by contacting us at taxes@wqsb.qc.ca or calling 1-800-363-9111.  Please have the municipality where your property is located and the file or role number on hand.

In an effort to maintain its educational objectives the Council of Commissioners has mandated the administration to collect all taxes which are in arrears.  The school board relies on the address information registered with the MRC or City to contact property owners.  A legal recovery process may be deployed on accounts with outstanding balances in absence of a payment arrangement registered in the school board’s database.

The 2012-2013 school tax invoice issuance date is July 30th, 2012 with payment due date on August 30th, 2012. This invoicing covers the period of July 1st, 2012 to June 30th, 2013. The taxation rate for 2012-2013 is 0.27884 per $100.00 of evaluation.

All accounts in arrears carry an interest rate of 16% (calculated daily to 0.0438%).

To view how the taxation funds are distributed within the school board budget please reference the Finance sector.

As a result of significant increases in municipal evaluations and the public’s reactions in regards to the impact on school board taxes, the M.E.L.S.* has modified the Education Act (Loi sur l’instruction publique )  with Bill 43.  Modifications in summary are the following:

• All increases (or decreases) resulting from new municipal rolls are to be staggered over the period of the roll (i.e. 3 years)
• The option of payments in two instalments when an annual invoice due is calculated to equal $300.00 or higher.
• A reduction to the current invoice may be calculated per municipality to ensure a limited increase.  Article 475.2 L.I.P. dictates this complex calculation.  The percent reduction rate is common to both French and English school boards to ensure equity across the shared territory.  The maximum increase may not be reached when a new roll is set therefore a reduction may not be present in certain municipalities.

*   MELS Le Ministère d’Éducation du Loisir et du Sport (Minister of Education)

Invoice description

Municipal roll values are determined through the municipal or city evaluators and are forwarded to school boards.

Standardization Factor is set by the Minister of Municipal Affairs to provide equity across the province.

Adjusted Value is calculated by multiplying the municipal value with the standardized factor and then staggering the resulting increases.

Neutral % School taxes will be shared on a percentage basis between the English and French school boards if you are a company, organization, association or if you are an individual who has purchased property from a contractor.   An Individual who has recently obtained property may register change to their future invoice with respect to supporting either the English or the French school board with 100% of their school taxes.  To effect this change please contact the school board to whom you choose to direct your taxation funds.

Tax Sections:

• School taxes are collected in accordance with the current Education Act.
• Section 304 (In summary) An individual property owner with children in the Western Quebec School Board must pay school taxes to this board.
• Section 305 (In summary) An individual property owner who resides on the school board's territory would be billed, either from the English (WQ) or the French school board, depending on which electoral list their names appears.
  NOTE: The law permits an individual to choose on which electoral list he/she would have their name appear. Outside of a revision period for elections one may request, in writing, to the Director General of the School Board that their name be added to the current electoral list. Exact name in full, date of birth, gender, full domicile address and signature are necessary to fulfill the request. The school board has made a form available to facilitate this procedure.
• Section 306 (In summary) An individual who resides outside of the school board's territory (non-elector) but who owns property within the territory may choose which school board they want to support.
• Section 307 (In summary) Property owners not within the above three sections (companies, organizations, associations, clubs, etc.) are billed by both the English and the French school boards on a percentage basis. This percentage is determined by the ratio of children in attendance at school with the school boards who share the territory. The sum of the percentage from the English and the French board would be 100%.

Example:

Methods of Payment:

• Electronic banking (with most banking institutions) IMPORTANT: Please verify the reference number on your invoice prior to making payment.
• Walk in at most financial institutions
• By mailing a cheque and the invoice stub in the return envelope enclosed with your invoice   Payable to WQSB or Western Quebec School Board.
• Walk-in office:  15 Katimavik in Gatineau (Aylmer sector) ~ Office hours: 9:00 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. [see map]

Summer hours: The School Board and all of its' schools are closed for summer vacation for two (2) weeks commencing July 23rd, 2012 .
For Additional Information:
To find out more about your tax bill or to ensure your name appears on the electoral list of your choice, you may contact us at;

• e-mail: taxes@wqsb.qc.ca
• telephone: 1.800.363.9111 or 819.684.2336
• NOTE:  The volume of telephone calls during the annual billing period may require a minimum of 48 hours to be returned.  During this time callers will be asked to leave a voice mail to encourage an equitable response time to all of our taxpayers.