Last week, a resident wrote to me to say that she often sees me mention the MRC in my communications, but she was wondering quite frankly: “What exactly is an MRC?”

It’s true that for many people, the MRC remains a fairly vague concept. We hear about it, but we don’t always know exactly what it is.

Why the MRC exists

MRCs were created by the Government of Québec in the late 1970s, mainly to plan and organize land use and development at the regional level.

Like municipalities, the MRC is created and governed by provincial legislation. It exists because the Government of Québec established it and gave it a legal framework and specific responsibilities. Over the years, its scope has gradually expanded, and today it operates in several areas of jurisdiction.

There are officially 87 MRCs in Québec. The MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges brings together 23 municipalities, making it one of the MRCs with the largest number of municipalities in the province.

Who sits at the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges

The MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges includes 23 municipalities. The 23 mayors form the MRC council and sit as regional councillors.

Just as municipalities have a mayor and a municipal council, MRCs are led by a prefect, who is also a mayor, and composed of regional councillors, meaning the mayors of the member municipalities. In our case, the prefect is elected from among the mayors by the members of the council. The prefect acts as the head of the MRC council and presides over meetings.

The council also selects a deputy prefect from among the mayors. If the prefect is absent, the deputy prefect takes over and performs the same duties. In our MRC, I was elected Deputy prefect for a two-year term.

The mayor’s dual role

When I sit at the MRC, I carry a dual responsibility. As Mayor of Saint-Lazare, my duty is to defend the interests of our city and our residents. But at the regional table, I also have the responsibility to think at the scale of the entire Vaudreuil-Soulanges territory and contribute to decisions that serve the broader regional interest.

Sometimes that balance is not simple. A decision may benefit the majority of municipalities while having a greater or different impact on one of them. In those situations, the work involves finding solutions that are fair and proportionate.

I would also add that the same principle applies both regionally and locally. As municipal elected officials, we don’t make decisions because they’re popular or because they please a particular group. We make them based on the collective interest. At the municipal council table, I think about the residents of Saint-Lazare. At the MRC table, I must also think about the residents of the entire region. An elected official’s loyalty must first be to the public interest.

What the MRC actually does

The MRC has very concrete responsibilities, many of which directly affect residents’ daily lives.

It is responsible for regional land-use planning through the land-use and development plan, which establishes the regional vision and guides municipal planning tools.

The MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges also provides property assessment services for 19 of the 23 municipalities. It coordinates part of residual materials management, including recycling in partnership with Éco Entreprises Québec, as well as the processing of organic materials. It also has responsibilities related to watercourses, fire and civil safety, the environment, and regional development.

Our MRC also manages services such as the regional municipal court, ecocentres, and social housing through the regional housing office. It coordinates services such as 9-1-1, 3-1-1, and 2-1-1.

Under the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, we also find regional organizations that play an important role in our community, such as Développement Vaudreuil-Soulanges (DEV), the Council for Arts and Culture (CACVS), the Regional Housing Office (ORHVS), and the Parc du canal de Soulanges.

How the MRC is funded: municipal shares

The MRC doesn’t have taxation powers like municipalities. It is therefore funded in part through municipal shares, in addition to funds, transfers, and government grants. These shares are annual financial contributions from municipalities used to fund regional services and responsibilities.

The calculation is generally based on standardized property wealth (RFU), which represents the total value of properties in a municipality and reflects its capacity to pay. In some cases, population is also considered, since certain services are linked to the number of residents. Depending on the type of expense, the distribution may be based on one criterion or a combination.

For 2026, the total MRC budget is $44,174,539, of which $20,715,771 comes from municipal shares. Saint-Lazare’s contribution for 2026 is $2,431,765, representing 11.74% of the total. Saint-Lazare is the second most populous municipality in the MRC, after Vaudreuil-Dorion.

Regional strength

The MRC is also a regional strength. This aspect should not be overlooked. When 23 municipalities align on a shared issue, the region carries more weight when advocating with the Government of Québec, applying for programs or funding, and defending priorities in transportation, environment, civil safety, or housing. This regional solidarity also prevents each municipality from having to fight alone on issues that affect us collectively.

Committees

Serving on a committee allows us to influence directions from the outset, better understand impacts before final decisions are made, and build alliances with other municipalities.

Since being elected mayor, I have been involved in several regional committees:

• President, Toit d’Abord – Affordable Housing Vaudreuil-Soulanges
• President, Regional Land-Use Planning Table
• President, Environmental Committee
• Vice-President, Council for Arts and Culture
• Member, MRC Administrative Committee
• Member, Regional Sustainable Social Development Table
• Member, PDZA Steering Committee (Agricultural Zone Development Plan)
• President, Board of Directors of the Regional Housing Office (ORHVS)
• Board Member, DEV – Regional Economic Development

For me, assuming leadership at this level is important. It allows me to better understand issues that go beyond our municipal boundaries and to ensure that the reality of Saint-Lazare is well represented in regional discussions.

In conclusion

It is important to remember that the MRC is a creation of the Government of Québec, governed by provincial legislation, with clearly defined responsibilities and powers. The MRC is also a regional lever. It allows municipalities to work together on shared issues and address them more effectively at the regional level.