Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and the current complement of nine city councillors have received a 2.2 per cent pay raise to begin 2025.
The base salary for Sim increases from $205,914 to $210,444, while councillors’ salaries jump from $101,938 to $104,180, according to information supplied to BIV from the city’s communications department.
All 10 politicians will also receive $3,048 each in an annual benefits supplement, along with a transportation allowance and money for expenses.
Though the increase wasn’t as significant as the boost in 2024 — 3.4 per cent — councillors’ salaries have steadily increased in years, with their base salary roughly $12,000 lower in 2022 at $91,878.
Pay increases in recent years have been as follows: 7.3 per cent in 2023, 3.8 per cent in 2022, 0.3 per cent in 2021, 2.3 per cent in 2020 and 2.7 per cent in 2019.
The pay increases are not the result of a vote by the current council but connected to a bylaw set in motion several years ago by a previous council to have annual adjustments to salaries.
“This bylaw established a system where remuneration is adjusted annually on January 1 based on the Consumer Price Index for Vancouver, ensuring that salaries keep pace with inflation without requiring yearly votes by the sitting council,” the city’s communications department said in an email this week.
The policy was implemented based on findings from an independent panel, which determined annual increases were warranted when compared to salaries of other Canadian councillors.
'A big job'
Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said in an email that serving on council is an honour, but also “a big job,” adding that she doesn’t think most councillors do it for the money.
“We do it for the opportunity to contribute to a city we love, and to tackle the issues in front of us,” Kirby-Yung said. “That said, the salary needs to be fair and needs to be able to attract people, and support them in putting in the time and the effort that the job demands.”
She said the salary remuneration bylaw — and the fact that it was informed by an independent review — “makes sense as it provides transparency and clarity for the public.”
Coun. Lenny Zhou echoed Kirby-Yung’s response.
“It's important to note that my decision to enter politics was not motivated by the compensation at all, but rather by a desire to serve the residents of our city,” Zhou said in an email.
“I actually received a pay cut from my previous job. I am committed to continuing my service to the community.”
In Edmonton, the mayor’s 2024 salary was $216,585 while councillors earned $122,363, according to the City of Edmonton’s website. As of Jan. 1, 2025, a Calgary councillor will earn $124,462 this year and the mayor, $220,298, according to a City of Calgary compensation document.
In Saskatoon, the mayor’s salary in 2024 was $165,365 while a councillor earned $76,068.
'Meaningful for myself'
Green Party Coun. Adriane Carr, who is Vancouver’s longest serving councillor and considering retiring from the job, described the 2.2-per-cent increase as modest, adding that it is intended to “help cover the increased cost of living everyone is facing.”
“It is meaningful for myself and Coun. Pete Fry, who just received a big salary cut by the mayor, who took away our salaried appointments as deputy mayor, acting mayor, duty councillor and to Metro Vancouver,” she said, referring to a decision in 2024 by the ABC Vancouver majority to shuffle duties of councillors.
Fry, also a Green Party member, echoed those concerns in an email.
“The analysis of a pay raise for mayor and council is incomplete unless you include the ‘extras’ like duty councillor and deputy mayor roles, and paid committee appointments that amount to additional salaries of tens of thousands of dollars, that have been redistributed exclusively to the benefit of Mayor Sim and his ABC elected,” he said.
“As it stands, I think the base salary and cost of living allowance increase on its own for the work of city councillor is reasonable and appropriate.”
This year, councillors serving as acting mayor will earn $1,403 per month, while those responsible for deputy mayor and duty councillor duties will make an additional $3,858 per month.
Councillors serving as Metro Vancouver directors are also compensated for their work and earn $547 for a meeting that runs up to four hours, and $1,094 for meeting more than four hours. Daily remuneration is capped at $1,094.
Byelection coming
As councillors mentioned, Sim pointed out in an email that the pay raise was set in motion years ago by a previous council following recommendations from an independent panel.
“Our focus remains clear — making life more affordable, enhancing public safety, building more housing faster, and making Vancouver the best place to live, work and play,” he said.
“We've delivered one of the region’s lowest property tax increases, all while maintaining and enhancing our city’s services and infrastructure.”
In the previous administration, the Kennedy Stewart-led council unanimously decided in April 2020 to take a 10 per cent pay cut to help offset revenue losses faced by the city during the pandemic. The savings amounted to about $90,000 for the year.
The cut did not continue into 2021.
Council is currently operating with one less councillor since Christine Boyle was elected in the October provincial election as MLA for Vancouver-Little Mountain. A byelection is expected sometime in the spring to fill the vacant seat.
X/@Howellings
