A handful of Metro Vancouver councillors have come forward saying that it’s time to review the compensation for many local mayors.
New Westminster Coun. Daniel Fontaine says there is no reason why many mayors in the region are earning more than provincial cabinet ministers, who have a maximum base pay of $172,112 as of 2023.
“We see some of the mayors in the Metro region are earning close to $400,000 a year, so it’s excessive,” Fontaine said. “It is beyond what the public would expect from our local mayors and politicians, and it needs to end.”
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!The councillors say that according to 2023 financial reporting, the highest-paid mayor was Burnaby’s Mike Hurley, who made $330,704 in base pay and per diems, not including benefits such as a car allowance. This is followed by Richmond’s Malcolm Brodie ($312,030), George Harvie of Delta ($291,402), and Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West ($276,437).
Metro Vancouver salaries have been the subject of public focus over the last year, with a recent Deloitte report finding public confidence is at risk of erosion due to the mayors’ excessive compensation.
“Almost universally, people tell me they are frustrated,” Fontaine said.
“They wish they had the ability to have more direct control over these elected officials.”
He goes on to say that the public isn’t impressed with the massive cost overruns at Metro Vancouver projects, such as the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, and he says public sector salaries need to match the work.
The board is set to meet on Friday to discuss adjustments to director compensation, including the elimination of double payments for meetings lasting more than four hours, but Fontaine says the proposed changes aren’t enough.
Speaking to 1130 NewsRadio Friday morning, Surrey Coun. Linda Annis says she hopes that the directors at Metro Vancouver “do the right thing.”
“Mayors should not be earning more than the prime minister of Canada, or premier, or cabinet ministers for that matter, and the fees at Metro and at Transit have just gotten way out of hand,” she said.
Annis says the regional district needs a review — a call that has been made by multiple councillors in the region. In May, an independent governance review report was presented to the board, which called for big changes at the district.
Analysts from accounting firm Deloitte found the Metro Vancouver board, and its three other related boards, are too big, making it difficult to effectively get things done.
In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, Metro Vancouver shares that “immediate action was taken by the Board in May to address Board remuneration and all the recommendations in the report. The reference to salary caps for mayors came from the Governance Review report and was a recommendation for action from the provincial government, not Metro Vancouver.”
“Metro Vancouver cannot put a salary cap on mayor’s total compensation; that is the role of the Province,” the district stated.
Even after the review, Annis says that members’ salaries are “out of control.”
“And many of the projects that they’re working on are out of control. I just think back to the wastewater treatment center over on the North Shore, thinking of where it started. We need to do a much better job at Metro of having those costs in control,” she explained. “It’s taxpayers’ money and it’s not being spent wisely.”
Annis believes it’s “highly problematic” that board members are not elected officials, but appointed.
“The directors are making decisions about some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the metro area. To me, that’s extremely problematic. And when I hear fees getting doubled if you work five hours versus four, to me, it’s just not right, and it’s high time that this gets corrected at Metro.”
With files from Dean Recksiedler.