Salary changes taking effect in 2027 for new and potential returning members of mayor and council were a key discussion point during Monday evening’s regular town council meeting.
Present salaries for positions in the affected staff are as follows: $31,454 for mayor; $22,018 for deputy mayor, 70 percent of the mayor’s salary; $16,411 for councillors. This is in addition to per-diem payments made when council members are required to be outside of their personal workplaces to attend to matters related to their duties on council; this is currently $80 for a half day and $160 for a full.
Current policy allows for an annual increase for each member. The amount calculated for the 2025 and 2026 increase was 2 per cent, based off of an alignment with non-union management and union staff annual increases as well as reflecting current cost of living.
Going into 2027, the wage for the position of mayor will see an increase of $500 per month, raising it by $6,000 annually. This will also affect the salary of the deputy mayor, as the council chose to continue with 70 per cent of that of the mayor’s.
Mayor Andrew Hallikas commented on the increase for deputy mayor wages during the meeting, highlighting the importance of the role to a community and being especially vital in times when the current mayor is unable to fulfill duties.
“The deputy mayor is absolutely essential,” Hallikas said. “I’ve suffered some serious illness over my term, and the deputy mayor was right there asking ‘what can I do, what can I take over?’ It was such a relief to have somebody there to take over some duties.”
Compensation for town councillors will be increased by $200 per month starting in 2027, seeing a total increase of $2,400 annually. In addition to this wage increase, per-diem pay members of town council will be increasing from $100 for a half day and $200 for a full day.
Coun. Mike Behan said this is appropriate considering the full day per-diem pay has been $160 for years and should better reflect the time taken out of one’s day to conduct council affairs.
“If you look at the current rate at $80 and $160, that’s $20 per hour and I think our time is worth more than that.” Behan said.
There was also the discussion of adding compensation for personal internet and phone usage at a rate of $100 per month, as well as a proposal for a new “per meeting payment” where council members would receive additional payments of $150 per council meeting and $75 per committee meeting.
Council voted not in favour of being compensated for using personal internet and phones. Coun. John McTaggart felt it was unnecessary for them to be paid out on devices they would have access to regardless. “I already have a phone, I already have internet. I don’t need money for it,” he said.
Council also voted against per meeting payments with Behan saying their wages are already paying them to be present. “We’re being paid a salary of 10 meetings. I don’t think we’d be paid on top of that,” he said.
The wage changes discussed by council will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2027. With the election for mayor and council falling in the upcoming fall, it is worth noting that the council may be fully comprised by new members and that the current mayor and council may not be affected by changing salaries.
