Riverview man upset that portion of road work will be billed to property owners

Riverview resident Eric Sénéchal got a bit of a surprise when a notice of proposed local improvement showed up at his door.

The notice explained that Manning Road, where he lives, would be undergoing a water main replacement and full reconstruction of 450 metres of roadway.

But this letter isn't a typical heads-up about construction — the notice also includes the cost to the property owner.

This charge to property owners is made possible by the local improvement section of the provincial Local Governance Act, but the department did not provide someone for an interview on Monday.

For Sénéchal, the bill is more than $2,200, to be paid after the project's completion or with six per cent interest over a 10-year period.

"It's an extra tax or extra money that they are trying to get out of us, especially with everything that went up — the gas, the food," he said.

Eric Sénéchal, a resident of Manning Road in Riverview, is prepared to fight against construction of his road that would bill property owners for part of the cost. (Submitted by Eric Sénéchal)

"The cost of living has [gone] up tremendously the past couple of years."

Sénéchal's street isn't the only one being considered for local improvement, where roughly 14 per cent of the bill would be paid by property owners.

Sherwood Avenue, Suffolk Street and Westview Terrace are also up for the shared-cost program, which Riverview has had for more than 40 years.

Ashly Barron, communications manager for the town of Riverview, said the local improvement program has helped tackle more streets that need work because the cost is shared.

"In the 1980s, the municipality recognized that there was a backlog of streets that would need to be done, and at that time, people were kind of needing to petition to have their street upgraded because we could only get to so many each year," said Barron.

"So with the introduction of the Local Governance Act, we were able to continue the program by asking residents on that street to contribute a low portion of that specific street's project so that we could get to more streets sooner."

Sénéchal is not pleased that property owners would pay for part of the construction of a road that is also used by bus services. The town says wear and tear of the roads from vehicles would not affect the water main beneath the service. (Submitted by Eric Sénéchal)

Since the start, Barron said the cost for property owners has stayed the same — $115 per metre of frontage.

The total local improvement charge for residents on Manning Road is $43,294, but the total estimated cost of the work will be around $800,000, according to the letter received by Sénéchal.

Sénéchal said Manning Road is in pretty bad condition, but he said it's a nice neighbourhood with a community centre and a brand new park.

But that, he said, brings more people to the street to use the park, including local daycares, which he said would contribute to the wear and tear of the street.

Also, he said the street is part of a town bus route.

Vehicles don't affect water main

In an email following the interview, Barron said any potential wear and tear from vehicles doesn't affect the water main replacement below ground.

She also said the levy raised from property owners goes to new infrastructure added, like curbs and gutters, that are of more value to residents than the municipality, pursuant to the Local Governance Act.

Barron said so far, for the roads that are considered, two letters have been received — one in opposition and one in favour.

She said because the town has been doing it for so long, residents typically have come to expect it.

"Every few years, there's maybe one street that kind of rises as maybe one that there's some conflict," said Barron.

"But typically these things pass relatively easily because people are looking forward to having their street done."

And residents do have an opportunity to share their thoughts on the proposal for their street. Written objections can be sent by March 8 and a public hearing will be held on March 11 where residents can voice their objections or feelings of support.

Manning residents won't get bill until July 2025

After that, Barron said the second and third readings of bylaws will be at the next regular council meeting in April. Then, she said residents will hear from the town's engineering team and the contractor about things to know about the construction.

She said the projects may fall throughout construction season, from spring to fall, but residents wouldn't receive their bill for their portion until a year later — so in this case, July 2025.

If residents choose to pay their portion over the 10 years, it is entered as a lien against their property. So if the property owner were to sell their house, it would be paid during the sale process, said Barron.

Sénéchal said his property taxes went up last year, and having to pay more on top of that is something he will fight against.

"I am not going to just sit back and let them take extra money," he said.