M.D. approves policy on councillors pay, ties salaries to cost of living increases

The pay for M.D. councillors has finally been set.

M.D. council approved the remuneration policy on Wednesday after agreeing at the last meeting that they would not raise the basic take-home pay for councillors, but instead tie salaries to Cost of Living increases.

The issue of M.D. council pay came up because of the CRA removing the one-third tax exemption for municipal which meant councillors could take home $5000-6000 less per year.

“In order to appease some and make it fair for both council and employees, every year we look at the employees and the cost of living increase. Now, we’re going got base any increase in council on what we’re also giving to the employees. This past year it was zero per cent,” said Reeve Greg Sawchuk.

The recorded vote on the 15 per cent pay increase to offset these losses was rejected 5-2 (Swigart, Jubinville).

“I think it’s a fair way of treating both the employees, council and being responsible once again for the taxpayer’s dollars.”

The policy held firm the meeting rates that were in place beforehand as well.

Before the changes in tax law, in 2018, Reeve Sawchuk earned a salary of $85,800, while Ward 1 Councillor Marc Jubinville earned $64,200, Ward 2 Councillor Darcy Skarsen earned $54,000, Ward 3 Councillor Mike Krywiak took home $60,600, Ward 4 Councillor Ed Duschene $53,430, Ward 5 Councillor Dana Swigart earned $63,000, and Ward 6 Councillor Ben Fadeyiw earned $61,650.