For years now, upper levels of government have been giving us responsibilities. We did not use to have responsibilities regarding housing but we have some now. Gatineau is the 17th largest city in Canada, and in the area of social development we must now intervene with the homeless. We have a role to play with homeless people now through our police services.
In Gatineau alone for the past 12 years, 40% of new jobs have been for firemen or police officers we have been forced to hire because the Government of Quebec requires that we respect more stringent standards. We have no real choice in the matter, obviously, in that regard, whether we are talking about homelessness, housing or a multitude of other areas. The other governments ask us to broaden our field of action, but our tax revenue does not increase for all that. However, 87% of our income comes from real estate taxes. So the cities are trapped in a dead end.
Let me repeat that we are not talking about superfluous, expendable activities. In light of the income at our disposal currently, how are we going to fund infrastructure? Are we going to close soccer fields or arenas, stop snow removal, or clean less? The municipal governments deal with essential needs. Our leeway is quite limited as compared to provincial and federal governments. For instance, 8% of the taxes paid by all Canadians go to municipalities, whereas provincial and federal governments get 92%. However, we manage 58% of infrastructure.
I don't want to shut down roads or a water treatment plant. It is in that sense that the cities are trapped in dead ends.