Côte Saint-Luc, May 1, 2025 – The City of Côte Saint-Luc has recuperated more than $2.1 million since 2011 from, for example, collections from third-party insurance companies for damages to City property—far exceeding expectations and demonstrating the value of the internal procedures put in place to gather information for claims.
Over the last five years, the City budgeted approximately $66,000 annually for insurance recoveries which includes the above-mentioned category. However, thanks to the diligence of staff across multiple departments, the average actual recovery between 2021 and 2024 reached $186,147 per year, or 182 percent more than anticipated.
In practical terms, recovering insurance funds means the City was able to claim back money from third-party insurers who must pay back the City to cover the costs of damages, repairs, or incidents where the City was not at fault. This means that taxpayers do not need to foot the bill for these claims. For example, if a vehicle crashes into a light pole or damage occurs to public infrastructure due to someone else’s negligence, the City pays for the repairs upfront—but then submits a claim to recover those costs to the Insurer of the Motorist who caused the damages. When payment is not received promptly, the City uses its in-house attorneys to sue to recover the damages. Thanks to detailed documentation, coordinated follow-up, and effective claims management, Côte Saint-Luc has consistently been able to get reimbursed, bringing millions of dollars back into City coffers that would otherwise have been lost.
QUOTATIONS
“I want to thank the City Manager, Jonathan Shecter, and the staff for their high-performing work in recouping money when third parties are involved. Our strategic process includes detailed incident reporting, accurate cost assessments, strong documentation, and follow-through on claims. We do this because we’re always trying to maximize revenue from other sources.” — Mayor Mitchell Brownstein
— Mayor Mitchell Brownstein
“This is a great example of what we can achieve when our departments work in sync. From Legal and Finance to Public Safety and Engineering, this collective effort ensured that no opportunity was left behind. It’s a model of operational excellence.”
— City Manager Jonathan Shecter