Last week, the Victoria city council voted in favour of giving themselves a pay raise to bump them up to 50% of what the mayor earns per year—a 25% pay increase from what they currently make.
Prior to this decision, city councillors made $52,420 per year and the mayor’s base salary is $131,050 annually as a base salary.
Going forward, if the bylaw makes it through a future council meeting the city councillors in Victoria will be paid $65,525 per year and the job will be considered full-time.
This decision was made after the 2019 city council had an external agency conduct a review of several areas relating to council, one of which was the council members remuneration—the time commitment they give and how they are compensated for that time.
According to City Manager Jocelyn Jenkyns, the review was not finished before the last election, so council directed her to hire a compensation consultant to take a look at how the salaries compare to other cities of similar size across Canada.
The consultant Victoria hired, Julie Case, said that most city councillors in the compared cities are considered part-time and work other professions in addition to their council duties, whereas the mayor is full-time and is compensated more because of that.
According to her report, Victoria was behind the average for nearly all comparator cities.
Councillor Krista Loughton asked during the question period of the Committee of the Whole meeting why the city council has to set their own base salaries.
“It’s a very awkward thing for us to do this and I know with MPs and MLAs their salaries are all the same, they’re set in a different way.”
To this, Case said that the Province allows cities to set their own incomes based on the needs of the community and the time commitment given by the councillors.
Following questions, Councillor Jeremy Caradonna moved the remuneration motion with Councillor Matt Dell seconding it.
Then Caradonna presented a lengthy amendment which would classify being a city councillor as a full-time position, increase councillors’ pay to 50% of the mayor’s salary, maintain yearly increases for inflation and improve benefits—all of which would come into effect by May of this year.
Because the motion was so detailed, Mayor Marianne Alto suggested that Caradonna change his tactics to submit this as a notice of motion to allow council and the public to absorb the content.
Caradonna declined the mayor’s advice.
“I think that this is an appropriate motion arising and I think that this process has gone on long enough, so I’d prefer to keep it here,” said Caradonna.
He said that, among other reasons, the pay needs to be bumped up in order to entice qualified candidates to run and commit their time to the job and allow them to work the job in a full time capacity.
“We are expected to answer countless emails, read numerous reports in preparation for council, develop council member motions and evolve city policy, meet with constituents, attend neighbourhood association meetings, attend all manner of AGMs and events, speak to the media and sit on numerous committees and commissions,” Caradonna explained.
“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, but it cannot simultaneously be a full-time job with part-time pay and benefits which is what it currently is.”
The seconder, Councillor Dell spoke to the fact that he supports the council being paid at 50% of the rate the mayor is compensated, however he also believes that Mayor Alto is underpaid for her time and work.
He also pointed out that while councillors serve in Victoria, there are few benefits, no car allowance and no transitional pay—three perks that are common in other cities throughout Canada.
Councillor Marg Gardiner brought up all other remuneration from external sources such as the GVHA, BC Transit and CRD committees.
“The remuneration ranges from, in 2023 values, $51,000 to about $85,000 per year, depending on the external board and committee appointments,” Gardiner explained.
It is important to note that some councillors and the mayor make additional income from the committees they serve. Councillor Gardiner says this additional income ranges from an extra $4,000 per year to an extra $32,000 per year.
On the matter of when the pay raise would come into effect, Mayor Alto says she thinks it is wrong for an agency such as council to give themselves a raise.
“I am profoundly in opposition to this section, as I have been for the last ten years,” said Mayor Alto.
“It is never appropriate for any agency, ever, under any circumstances to vote itself a raise, either individually or collectively,” she continued.
She thinks the third amendment should not be enacted until after the next municipal election.
Despite the mayor’s opposition, this matter was approved along with the other aspects of the motion. The pay raise will come into effect in May, if the city council approves the bylaw in a future council meeting.
