There’s nothing like a debate about city council pay to hear differing views and make taxpayers frisky.
Despite their avowed objective to engage and consult constituents, most politicians usually don’t bother to ask the pesky public what they think about their council pay.
Current wage packages are convoluted and require more transparency and public accountability. If local politicians were paid a single salary, taking into account all responsibilities and roles representing residents, that conversation would allow for better scrutiny.
When remuneration practices are reviewed in the new year, there are questions to ask, dear City of Victoria taxpayers.
How many hours should a councillor work?
The mayor of a capital city is always on the job – she’s paid $131,000 base salary – and most residents consider it full-time.
But the MNP Governance Review released in 2022, commissioned by the city, figures councillors work as much as 1,400 hours annually or 25-30 hours weekly. That includes 800 hours attending council and committee-of-the-whole meetings, 240 hours for committee meetings, and 400 hours communicating with residents.
Estimates were made from April 2021 through March 2022 during the pandemic when there was an unusual workload.
Estimates were based on agendas which frequently dealt with issues considered beyond their mandate.
Estimates were based on various poor governance practices as detailed by MNP. Council has since streamlined procedures and policies and more are expected.
MNP concluded the part-time role of councillor allowed members ‘to maintain another primary career or other responsibilities.’
How much are councillors paid?
In 2024, councillors receive about $52,000 base salary, or $37 an hour for 1,400 hours. The annual work calendar amounts to about 45 weeks after holiday breaks.
Councillors receive dental, extended health and life insurance benefits, and salaries are currently adjusted to inflation every January. There’s no pension.
Are current wages out-of-line?
CBC charted the base salary in 2021 of every mayor and councillor in BC which excluded top-ups from other responsibilities (July 13, 2022). Considering the population and budget of Victoria, the base pay looks reasonable compared to jurisdictions on the Island and BC.
The MNP Governance Review found that council was paid 2.4 to four percent more than six comparable BC communities. But that difference is largely gone after foregoing an inflation wage increase in 2021.
What about those top-ups?
Best of luck sorting out how much members earn above their council salary – it can be thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars extra.
For starters, councillors are appointed to various external boards which meet monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly and semi-annually. They may or may not be compensated.
As an example, one councillor now earns $4,000 annually plus meeting fees of up to $1,600 from the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority board. The former mayor was paid $7,075 last year and $10,250 the year prior for sitting on the BC Transit Board.
CRD board directors get far bigger paycheques. The mayor and three councillors are directors and earn $22,551 of which $7,517 is an expense allowance (2023 figures). There may be top-ups for other roles such as vice-chairs.
There may be per diems for roles on CRD committees. For example,10 of 24 directors sit on just the governance committee.
Then there are numerous regional boards such as the Capital Region Hospital Board and CRD Arts Commission, the standing and select committees. Plus, there’s numerous external boards such as the Municipal Finance Authority and the regional library.
Directors and alternates across the region received salaries and expenses of $850,000, according to the CRD’s Statement of Financial Information (2022).
What’s the total pay?
We will never know the exact total pay. Council doesn’t bother listing all income sources in their annual financial disclosures mandated by the province.
Why isn’t the total local income – to include in-house and external entities including retainers, stipends and per diems associated with council and the CRD – considered when setting wages?
Are there other considerations?
MNP recommended councillor base salaries be hiked to comparator municipalities.
They suggest per diems for attendance at conferences, council retreats, professional development, and external board and committee meetings where the member is appointed by council and not compensated. Creating council position profiles, read job descriptions, is underway.
Why can’t residents weigh-in?
Residents can privately share their feelings about wages and the perception that council is again increasing their own pay. As leaders, wage increases are viewed as benchmarks by staff, unions, other municipalities and the public.
So, will council adopt the Union of BC Municipalities guidance in the council and board remuneration guide (2019) and the recent MNP Governance Review recommendations?
Both urge council to consider an ‘independent task force’ to review elected official remuneration. But will city council include public representation and taxpayer input?
In the meantime, to start the discussion, council should start making their entire civic wage package public in city annual reports.
Taxpayers may want to give councillors a civil earful on the need for a dramatic simplification of the murky approach to paying local politicians.
It seems they are paid adequately.