Calgary City Council rejected a motion to freeze salaries at 2024 levels after various councillors and the mayor came forth with proposals the week before.
The motion proposed freezing salaries at 2024 levels, which would have resulted in a marginal salary decrease for councillors as the recent pay increase would have been rolled back.
The motion resulted in a 7-7 vote. Ties result in motions being defeated. Also, the motion would have required a two-thirds majority to pass because the previous pay increases were approved on the average weekly earnings formula.
The start of the new year saw the mayor and councillors receive a 3.07% pay raise, bringing the total raises to 9.49% since 2022. Councillors are paid $124,462.60 annually, and the mayor is paid $220,298.83.
City councillor Sonya Sharp introduced the motion and had some strong words following its defeat.
Sharp said she believes councillors should have a set wage throughout their four-year term.
“When you run for Council, you should know what you’ll be paid—and if you’re only running for the prospect of a raise every year, you’re running for the wrong reasons,” said Sharp.
She said that the city council should not receive an automatic pay raise this year, or any year.
“It’s just the fact that when I have constituents calling me about a 60% assessment increase, I have a tough time taking a pay raise,” said Sharp.
Sharp, like Mayor Jyoti Gondek, voted in favour of the motion to freeze pay increases.
One of the councillors who voted against the motion, thereby supporting the wage increase, Jennifer Wyness, defended her vote.
“Our wages go up and down with Albertans’ wages as directed by citizens. Calgary’s economy is doing well and wages are improving,” she said.
Calgary city councillors earn more than provincial MLAs. Calgary’s mayor makes more than the province’s premier, Danielle Smith, who makes around $185,000 annually.
Gondek said elected officials should not take pay raises while Calgarians are struggling.
“Calgarians are struggling with higher grocery bills, increasing utility rates, & inflation. If we’re asking City Administration to find efficiencies & Calgarians to stretch their budgets, we must hold ourselves to the same standard,” said Gondek.
Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta director Kris Sims told True North that the council should not only freeze pay raises but also refocus on the municipal government’s core purposes — to keep the streets and infrastructure safe, clean, and in good repair.
“Being a city councillor was never supposed to be a full-time dream career for politicians who want to save the world,” said Sims. “It was supposed to be a part-time role for people like small business owners, retired teachers, and former cops, so a stipend for their ‘public service’ was just fine.”
Sharp took a similar stance in her rebuke of the vote.
“If you don’t want to run because you don’t get a raise every year, then you know what? Maybe it’s not the job for you,” said Sharp. “Maybe you’re running for the wrong reasons. I know that this job requires a lot of work, but it’s really the impact that we have on Calgarians, and they see that.”
