Toronto committee considers giving councillors $13,628 pay raise and hiking mayor’s salary to $200,013

National Post
April 15, 2014
By Natalie Alcoba

Toronto city councillors have fallen further behind some of their Canadian counterparts when it comes to salaries, a new study has found, but a proposal to give the next term a $13,628 pay raise is unlikely to get traction in an election year.

“Forget that option,” said Frank Di Giorgio, the budget chief and a member of the executive committee. Councillor Michael Thompson burst out laughing at the mere suggestion.

The executive committee actually has two choices when it considers the issue next week: hike the pay of council members and the mayor so that they meet the 75th percentile benchmark - that 25% of cities pay more, and 75% pay less - set in a city bylaw, or maintain the status quo of a cost of living increase.

A review by Strategy and Organization Consulting of the total cash compensation at a dozen other municipalities and four regional governments found Toronto councillors earn at the 37th percentile, while the mayor sits at the 61st percentile.

Toronto councillors make $105,397 now (not including benefits).To join the 75th percentile, pay would have to be set at $119,025. The mayor’s pay would also have to go up, from $177,499 to $200,013, or 12.7%.

In 2010, Toronto councillors were in the group’s 77.5th percentile. Consultants said the drop in standing may be a result of some cities now reporting regional income.

Council had the same prickly debate during the 2010 election, when all mayoral candidates balked at a proposed 9% raise. The matter was deferred until the new term of council and then ultimately shelved.

“I suspect the executive committee will stay the course,” said Councillor Di Giorgio. “The reality is it’s an election year. There will definitely be no appetite for large increases.”

He said that even if some councillors agree with the idea of some kind of raise, voting for it would give ammunition to those who want to appear “holier than thou” by voting against it. While “in relative terms you can make a very good argument that we’re under paid”, said Mr. Di Giorgio, in absolute terms, it’s a “fair and reasonable wage.”

“When an average resident in my ward makes less than $50,000, I can’t argue with them or tell them why they should be paying more so I can be paid more,” added Councillor Thompson, who represents Scarborough Centre and also sits on the executive. “I can leave this sector and go to the private sector and make more money, but that’s a choice I made.”