Victoria councillors have voted themselves a 25 per cent pay raise.
The raise, which will take effect in May, will see councillor salaries increase to $65,525 from the current $52,420.
The mayor’s salary will remain at $131,050 this year.
The motion to bump up councillors’ salaries was not on Thursday’s agenda, but was brought forward by Coun. Jeremy Caradonna after a consultant’s report suggested remuneration for Victoria’s council was falling behind those in other Canadian cities.
The Drive Organizational Development report, presented to council Thursday, surveyed 18 Canadian cities and noted Victoria councillors’ 2023 base salary of $51,100 is below the Canadian median of $55,700 and the B.C. median of $55,500.
The mayor’s 2023 salary of $127,700 was below the Canadian median of $144,800.
Caradonna said the “part-time” Victoria council job is actually a full-time gig and should be compensated as such, noting the city faces big-city problems like homelessness, street disorder, and mental-health and addictions challenges.
He said Victoria is dealing with an affordability crisis and council remuneration should reflect that reality.
“Either this is a part-time job with part-time pay and benefits, or it is a full-time job with full-time pay and benefits,” he said. “But it cannot simultaneously be a full-time job with part-time pay and benefits, which is what it currently is.”
The motion was supported by councillors Dave Thompson, Krista Loughton, Matt Dell and Susan Kim, while councillors Marg Gardiner and Stephen Hammond and Mayor Marianne Alto voted against it.
Coun. Chris Coleman was absent from council Thursday.
Alto said while she generally agrees with the salary increase, though it’s “a little on the high side,” it should not take effect until after the next municipal election, set for Oct. 17, 2026.
“It is never appropriate for any agency ever under any circumstances to vote itself a raise either individually or collectively,” she said.
Alto said the appropriate thing to do would be to approve the new salary level and have it come into effect for the next council.
Hammond tried to amend the motion to change the implementation date until after the next election and to allow for public input, but only he, Gardiner and Alto supported the amendments.
“I appreciate people are looking for more compensation for the job, but I can’t help thinking that we knew this when we came into the job,” said Hammond, adding if there is to be an increase in pay, he shouldn’t have a hand in it.
“I just don’t believe that I should be ruling on my own pay.”
Gardiner suggested with taxpayers facing an eight per cent increase in property taxes this year, increasing council salaries seems like a tone-deaf move.
“I’ll bet you most [taxpayers] aren’t going to be getting a raise in income [like what] is being proposed here,” she said. “And I am very opposed to councillors deciding by themselves or through their own direction to raise their own remuneration.”
The total impact of the salary increases on this year’s budget will be $104,840, which is equivalent to a 0.06 per cent tax increase.
In advocating for the increase taking effect this term, Thompson said while calling for low wages for elected officials is politically popular, it shouldn’t be a sacrifice for someone to take on the role of city councillor.
“I’m less interested in heroic sacrifices and outside jobs, much more interested in the city and good governance,” he said. “And this requires diversity and representation on council.”
Thompson said at the old remuneration rate, councillors are more likely to be limited to those with pensions, retirement savings and other sources of income.
“We’re much less likely to see young adults who are just at the very start of building their careers,” he said. “I think it should be frankly easy for them to take a place on council and not a huge sacrifice.”
Kim said while it might be inappropriate to vote on her own salary increase, “what I don’t think is appropriate is the untenable position that we have been put in. And to financially, at least for me, live hand to mouth while paying student loans, renter’s insurance, you name it.
“And so to the extent that it’s untenable now and I can do something about it, I will. And you know, folks can be angry that I’m advocating for equitable remuneration for the future as well as for today. But so be it.”
While some councillors noted the MNP consultant’s report on governance delivered to council in 2022 suggested council remuneration needed to be addressed, the report also suggested the new remuneration rates should not take effect until the next council takes office.
“Establishing a policy that specifies an ongoing cycle for review will ensure that remuneration levels do not fall too far behind and create a need for a large adjustment, and potentially public concern in future. It also removes the awkwardness of council determining when they should receive higher remuneration,” the report said.
In passing the motion Thursday, council also confirmed that a city councillor position is a full-time job, set base remuneration for councillors at 50 per cent of the mayor’s salary, and will have city staff report back on options for an improved benefits package in the next three months.
The last time a review of council salaries was done was in 2008.
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