Mayor’s salary could be among highest in Canada under plan sent to committee

Mayor Don Iveson could be one of the highest paid mayors in Canada under a new plan proposed by city administration.

But council took one look at that plan Monday and sent it straight to an independent citizens’ committee.

“This does create a bit of risk for us, but I believe it’s the right thing to do,” said Iveson, before the motion was supported unanimously.

“The best way always is to get the independent committee together to give us independent advice,” he said later. “We’ll abide with whatever they say.”

A recent federal decision eliminated the tax breaks that were giving Edmonton municipal leaders one-third of their salary tax-free, a decision council previously made because that put a lower burden on taxpayers.

Staff sought to ensure council’s take-home pay was unaffected by the change. Under the proposal, take-home pay will actually drop by several thousand dollars. But the gross salary increase will put council pay above many other Canadian cities. Edmonton’s mayoral pay would even rise above Calgary’s, after that council voted to decrease mayoral pay by six per cent to take effect after this fall’s election.

If Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi wins in October, he will be paid $200,747 a year before tax.

Edmonton city staff proposed the mayor would earn $209,835 a year, before tax, after the election. So far, Iveson appears to be running unchallenged.

That $209,835 annual salary would also be higher than what mayors are paid in Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Mississauga, according to a recent report from Calgary’ council compensation review committee.

Edmonton councillors would be paid $116,062 annually.

Calgary’s councillors receive $113,416 annually. Their compensation committee recommended leaving that figure untouched. In both cities, year-by-year changes are normally tied to the Alberta average weekly earnings.

Those numbers would come back to council for review this August, after Edmonton’s citizens’ committee has a chance to review them. They will be asked to comment on this approach to dealing with the tax change, and on whether the figures should be adjusted in light of the recent economic downturn.

The five members of Edmonton’s independent committee are: Phyllis Clark, Dan McKinley, George Andrews, Paul Precht and Shelley Ewart-Johnson.