Non-resident fees for Trois-Rivières sports activities may keep some kids off the field, says mom
A mother of two in the Mauricie region says the fees the municipality of Trois-Rivières is now charging for non-residents to use the city's sports facilities are so high they could prevent her sons from playing baseball this season.
Karine St-Arnaud lives in Saint-Maurice, a 20-minute drive from Trois-Rivières, where her sons, nine and 10, play baseball.
The city has increased the fees for non-residents to play on the city's hockey, soccer and baseball teams.
St-Arnaud told Quebec AM the fees her sons pay will more than double, from less than $400 last year to $1,000 for both kids this coming season.
In addition to the increased cost of the facility use, parents must also pay league fees.
St-Arnaud said things are tight financially for her family, and her kids likely won't be able to participate in the sport this summer.
"He just wants to play baseball with his friends," she said of her 10-year-old, who has been playing baseball in Trois-Rivières for five years.
There is a baseball league in Saint-Maurice, but she said her sons play at a more advanced level.
"I don't have anything against the idea that I have to pay more, but I think now it's abusive," she said.
Comes down to fairness, says city
Trois-Rivières is also increasing fees for non-residents to use its aquatic centres, gymnasiums, and track and field facilities.
"It is a question of fairness," said the interim mayor of Trois-Rivières, Ginette Bellemare.
"That's why we're asking neighbouring towns to participate in the financing, to be fair to our residents in Trois-Rivières who pay for that infrastructure through their taxes."
Bellemare said city council is not asking parents to foot the bill, but rather for the neighbouring towns to come up with a plan to cover the cost.
She said it is more affordable for those towns to pay for their residents to use Trois-Rivière's facilities than to pay to build their own sports infrastructure.
However, St-Arnaud said if it is a question of making it fair for Trois-Rivières taxpayers, she should have to pay a lump sum, instead of a fee per player, because property taxes do not increase as people have more children.
"I know they are paying a lot of tax, but I think that's part of the game when you live in a city," she said. "There are a lot of things that are available for them that are not for us."
St-Arnaud said she works and shops in the city and contributes to Trois-Rivière's economy that way.
The town of Saint-Maurice may subsidize a portion of St-Arnaud's fees directly, but she says it will still be too expensive.
She attended the city council meeting Tuesday night to plead her case, to no avail.
The increase in fees for non-residents affects about 1,200 people from 26 municipalities in the region, on both sides of the St. Lawrence River.
The change came into effect in January, but Trois-Rivières is giving municipalities until the end of the month to figure out whether they'll subsidize their residents or make other arrangements.
