If you’re buying a home on the West Island, property taxes aren’t a footnote — they’re a line item that can swing your monthly costs by hundreds of dollars depending on which city you choose. Pointe-Claire and Beaconsfield sit on opposite ends of the spectrum. So does Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue versus DDO. The difference matters.
This guide breaks down West Island municipal taxes for every major municipality, explains exactly how the Quebec tax system works, and gives you the numbers you need to budget properly before you make an offer.
Quebec’s municipal tax system has two core components: the mill rate (taux de taxation) and the valuation roll (rôle d’évaluation). Your tax bill is calculated by multiplying your property’s assessed value by the mill rate, expressed per $100 of valuation.
The formula:
Annual Tax = (Assessed Value ÷ 100) × Mill Rate
For example: a $700,000 home in a municipality with a mill rate of $0.60 per $100 would generate a tax bill of $4,200.
Quebec mandates a new valuation roll every three years. The current roll (2026–2027–2028) came into effect January 1, 2026, and it hit hard: the island of Montreal saw an average assessment increase of 12.2% across all property types. Residential properties, industrial buildings, and shopping centres all moved up. Only downtown office buildings dipped, due to structural vacancy issues.
This assessment spike doesn’t automatically mean a 12.2% tax increase — municipalities adjust their mill rates downward to partially absorb the higher valuations. But it does mean your assessed value is now higher, which affects everything from your welcome tax calculation to what you’ll pay when rates creep up in future years.
This is the piece most buyers miss. On the island of Montreal, your total municipal tax bill has two layers:
The agglomeration portion is non-negotiable. It applies to every property on the island, whether you live in Verdun or Senneville. In 2026, the agglomeration tax actually decreased slightly (-0.54% to -0.56%) for some deconstructed cities, offering a small offset to local tax increases.
Looking at a practical example: a Beaconsfield homeowner with an average-assessed single-family home ($1,100,714) pays approximately $2,353 in local Beaconsfield taxes plus $4,332 in agglomeration taxes — for a January bill total of roughly $6,956. Add the November water/usage bill (~$588) and the full annual cost reaches ~$7,544.
The West Island’s political structure shapes how taxes are set, and it’s worth understanding.
In 2002, the provincial government merged dozens of Montreal-area municipalities into the City of Montreal. In 2006, following referendums, fifteen municipalities deconstructed — they regained independent city status while remaining part of the Montreal Urban Agglomeration.
The West Island deconstructed cities are: Beaconsfield, Kirkland, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Dorval, Pointe-Claire, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Baie-D’Urfé, and Senneville. Each sets its own local tax rate, elects its own council, and controls local services — but all contribute to the agglomeration for island-wide services.
Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève are a different story. These are boroughs of Montreal proper — they never deconstructed. Their tax rates are set by Montreal’s central administration, not an independent council.
Why does this matter for buyers? Deconstructed cities tend to offer more local budget transparency, independent management of municipal services, and their own community identity. Some (like Beaconsfield) are known for very lean municipal operations that keep local tax rates among the lowest on the island.
The table below shows the local residential mill rate for each West Island municipality in 2026. Note that deconstructed cities also pay agglomeration taxes on top of this rate. The combined total is what appears on your actual tax bill.
| Municipality | Type | 2026 Local Residential Rate (per $100) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaconsfield | Deconstructed | ~$0.2017 | Among the lowest on the island |
| Baie-D’Urfé | Deconstructed | $0.4175 | Confirmed 2026 official rate |
| Dorval | Deconstructed | ~$0.46 | Very modest 2026 increase (0.9%) |
| Pointe-Claire | Deconstructed | ~$0.6374 | 2025 rate; 2026 in line with modest increase |
| Kirkland | Deconstructed | ~$0.6667 | Based on available data |
| Dollard-Des-Ormeaux (DDO) | Deconstructed | ~$0.6948 | Among the higher local rates |
| Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue | Deconstructed | ~$0.7359 | Includes residual category rate |
| Senneville | Deconstructed | $0.4820 | Official 2026 residential property tax rate |
| Pierrefonds-Roxboro | Montreal Borough | Set by Montreal | 4.2% increase for 2026 |
| Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève | Montreal Borough | Set by Montreal | Highest increase on island: 6.3% in 2026 |
Important: These are local municipal rates only. For deconstructed cities, your actual bill adds the agglomeration tax. Always verify the current rate with the municipality before making financial decisions. Rates are expressed per $100 of assessed value.
Beaconsfield consistently posts one of the lowest local residential rates on the entire island. At ~$0.2017 per $100, the local portion of your tax bill stays lean — even if the agglomeration portion is shared across all island municipalities. This is partly by design: Beaconsfield runs a tight municipal operation.
Senneville is now confirmed at $0.4820 per $100 for 2026. The village is a special case: it has a much smaller tax base, higher average property values, and a large agglomeration share. Its 2026 budget presentation showed the average single-family assessment rising to $1,612,666 and the general property tax on that average home reaching $7,773 before certain tariffs and debt charges. In plain English: the rate looks moderate, but the average bill is high because the average home value is high.
DDO and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue carry higher local rates. DDO at ~$0.6948 reflects a broader service mandate, while Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue at ~$0.7359 is partly driven by its unique character as home to John Abbott College, a marina, and agricultural land — a diverse tax base that creates different cost pressures.
Pointe-Claire and Kirkland land in the mid-range. Pointe-Claire’s 2026 budget saw a modest $140 increase on the average home. Kirkland has historically maintained competitive rates while investing in infrastructure.
Dorval achieved one of the most restrained increases on the island in 2026 — just 0.9% for single-family homes — despite the new valuation roll pressures.
Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève face larger bill increases as Montreal boroughs in 2026 (4.2% and 6.3% respectively) — partly because of how Montreal’s central administration balances spending across the island. Buyers looking at Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Île-Bizard should factor this trajectory into their long-term budget planning.
Property taxes affect affordability in two ways: directly (they add to your monthly carrying cost) and indirectly (lenders factor them into your debt service ratios).
In Canada, mortgage qualification uses the Gross Debt Service (GDS) ratio — your housing costs (mortgage payment + property taxes + heating + 50% of condo fees) must stay under 32–39% of gross income depending on the lender. Higher property taxes eat into how much mortgage you qualify for.
On a $900,000 home:
– At Beaconsfield’s local rate (~$0.2017) + agglomeration: roughly $6,000–$7,000/year combined
– At DDO’s rate (~$0.6948) + agglomeration: roughly $9,000–$11,000/year combined
That’s a $200–$300/month difference in carrying cost — which directly compresses your mortgage capacity.
If you’re navigating affordability for the first time, our first-time home buyer guide for Montreal walks through GDS/TDS calculations, the stress test, and what to realistically budget.
The 12.2% average assessment increase means assessed values jumped significantly January 1, 2026. Even where municipalities lowered their mill rates to compensate, the base is now reset higher. Future rate adjustments will apply to a larger assessed value — which compounds over time.
When you’re making an offer, ask for the current assessment value AND the municipality’s trend line on mill rates. A home assessed at $800,000 today could be assessed at $900,000+ on the next roll (2029), with no guarantee the mill rate won’t tick up.
Quebec’s Droits de mutation (welcome tax / land transfer tax) is also calculated on your property value — and the new 2026 assessment roll means standardized values are higher. Budget accordingly. See our full breakdown of Quebec closing costs for the complete picture, including notary fees, inspection, and transfer duties.
Rates are useful, but buyers think in monthly payments. A difference of $2,400 per year is $200 per month — enough to affect a mortgage pre-approval, a renovation budget, or whether a property feels comfortable after closing.
Here is the practical way to compare municipalities:
For a buyer comparing two similar homes, ask for the actual 2026 tax bill before writing the offer. Not last year’s listing data. Not an estimate. The actual bill. Then divide the annual total by 12 and include it in your affordability calculation.
Taxes are one variable. But they should be read alongside:
The West Island isn’t a monolith. It’s a collection of distinct municipalities with different budgets, priorities, and tax profiles. The right choice depends on which combination of home value, tax rate, and lifestyle delivers the most value for you.
West Island property tax rates in 2026 range from as low as ~$0.20 per $100 (Beaconsfield local rate) to ~$0.74 per $100 (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue) — not counting the agglomeration layer that every island resident pays. The new 2026–2028 valuation roll has reset assessed values across the board, and the trajectory for most boroughs is upward.
Smart buyers price taxes into every offer. We do it automatically.
Ready to talk numbers? The Elite Real Estate Group team is based in Pointe-Claire and works across every West Island municipality. We know the tax profiles, the neighbourhoods, and the deals. Explore West Island listings or reach out directly — we’ll run the real numbers on any property you’re considering.
Tax rates sourced from official municipal websites and the City of Montreal. All rates are for the 2026 taxation year and are subject to change. Always verify with the relevant municipality before making financial decisions. Last updated: April 2026.