About us
The CGTSIM briefly
A unique public body of its kind in Québec, the Comité de gestion de la taxe scolaire de l’île de Montréal (CGTSIM) was established in 1972 and is governed by the Education Act. As a legal person established in the public interest, it is administered by a Board of Directors composed of members of the education sector and is accountable to the Ministère de l’Éducation for its activities.
Based in Montréal, the CGTSIM provides comprehensive school tax management for the three school service centres (SSCs) and two school boards (SBs) on the Island of Montréal, representing nearly 559,000 accounts. It also manages their treasury operations and provides its partners with a range of shared administrative, technical and financial services, enabling them to devote themselves fully to their educational mission.
Contributing to equality of opportunity for students from underprivileged areas
Beyond school tax management, the CGTSIM plays a distinctive role in supporting underprivileged areas on the Island of Montréal. Each year, it provides the Island’s SSCs and SBs with an allocation for educational catch-up in these areas. These funds enable them to implement concrete measures that promote equality of opportunity and thereby support the school success of students from underprivileged areas.
This allocation comes from additional school tax billings as well as investment interest income, after deducting the amount the CGTSIM determines is required for its own operations. The funds are distributed among the SSCs and SBs in accordance with rules established by resolution, in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.
School taxes supporting the education network
The CGTSIM is known for managing the annual school tax, a key source of funding for Montreal’s school network. This tax enables the school network to fund the maintenance and operation of its facilities, the administration and management of its establishments, and head office expenses. Also, the amount collected covers part of the management of school transportation.
Serving SSCs and SBs on the Island of Montréal for over 50 years:
History
Since its founding in 1972, the CGTSIM has played an important role in the history of education in Quebec.
The CSIM was established on December 21, 1972, following the adoption of the Act to promote school development on the Island of Montréal. The Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec entrusted it with, among others, the following responsibilities:
- Ensuring a balance among the unequal financial resources of the Island’s school boards in order to provide equivalent educational services for all;
- Overseeing the funding of Montréal’s school boards and acting as the sole manager of school-related debt;
- Promoting shared services and supporting the development of the school network;
- Adopting measures to support educational catch-up measures in underprivileged areas.
A CSIM meeting in its early years (1973-1974)
Recognizing the organization’s effectiveness, the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec entrusted the CSIM with the responsibility of collecting school tax on the Island of Montréal, a responsibility it has proudly upheld to this day.
The Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec questioned the activities of the CSIM, threatening its very existence. The CSIM received significant support to defend the necessity of maintaining its services for the entire education community. Ultimately, the CSIM underwent a change of identity without disappearing. Bill 131, adopted on December 18, 2002, amended the Education Act and transformed the CSIM into the Comité de gestion de la taxe scolaire de l’île de Montréal (CGTSIM) as of February 28, 2003, while retaining almost all of its responsibilities. A new logo was unveiled in March 2003.
In its early years
From 2003 onward
Our role expanded in December 2023 with the adoption of Bill 23, which enables the CGTSIM to provide services to all the SSCs and SBs in the province with which it has signed an agreement.
Mission, vision and values
Mission
Providing unique expertise and contributing to the collective effort for school success.
Vision
Becoming the service counter par excellence and an employer of choice in Québec.
The following values guide the CGTSIM decisions in its daily operations
Social responsibility
Our responsibility is to distribute the financial surplus dedicated to the SSCs and SBs fairly and impartially, with the aim of making a positive contribution to school success.
Innovation
We demonstrate courage by questioning ourselves and by exploring new horizons, in order to maintain our efficiency and effectiveness, while maximizing the positive impact on the SSCs, SBs and taxpayers.
Excellence
We draw our motivation from the excellence of our work. We’re proud of what we do, and we are always striving for continuous improvement in order to stay at the forefront of our unique business model in Québec.
Commitment
Our mission is our main inspiration. We put our whole heart into our work to accomplish this mission, thereby ensuring the continuity and modernity of our organization.