Port Moody council treats themselves to a 15% pay raise

[CORRECTION: The initial story said the vote was unanimous, in fact, the vote was 6-1 with Coun. Kyla Knowles voting against.]

Port Moody’s municipal councillors have given themselves a sizable raise.

The vote for the 15 percent pay bump was approved by a vote of 6-1 on Tuesday, Dec. 5, with several councillors noting the city has not reviewed their salaries since 2013.

“There is some catch up that needs to be done on multiple levels,” said Coun. Callan Morrison. “Our city does need to make sure that we are in line with any job offering, or any position within our city, to make sure that we are competitive on the market.”

After a review of eight other Lower Mainland municipalities, the staff recommended upping council’s remuneration to the average mayor and councillor salaries.

Councillor pay will increase from $45,851 to $54,720, while Mayor Meghan Lahti’s pay will increase from $126,360 to $142,970. 

The pay increase will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, and will add 0.14 percent to the city’s proposed tax increase for 2024.

The only councillor who voiced any concern was Coun. Kyla Knowles, who said the size and timing of the raise were questionable due to residential tax increases recommended in the city’s provisional budget. She was the lone vote opposed to approving the raise.

Port Moody has introduced a 8.13 percent property tax increase this year, and passed a 9.29 percent increase in 2023.

Knowles said she couldn’t support backdating their pay increases to the start of the year, and proposed the raises take effect starting next year, with phased-in costs to the city.

“I know this may not be popular with some of my colleagues, but I feel strongly that all of us were aware of the salary when we ran for council in the summer and fall of 2022,” Knowles said.

No other councillor seconded the amendment and it died on the floor.

Staff’s remuneration review was requested by council back in October. 

Aside from annual adjustments based on Vancouver’s consumer price index (CPI), and a federal budget change in 2018 which shifted work-related allowances into council base salaries for tax purposes, pay for Port Moody representatives has remained unchanged since the start of 2014.

And regulator reviews of their salaries have not been carried out, according to staff.

A task force in 2005 recommended that council pay should be reviewed every six year at minimum, but a corporate policy was never established.

Coun. Diana Dilworth said she participated in the 2005 task force, stating the idea was to shift pay increases away from council’s control.

She said many municipalities in the region have consistent approaches to the council remuneration, similar to how pay increases are handled for their unionized staff.

“I think that’s a problem that we need to refocus on,” she said.

The staff report says that in order to have a “consistent and sustained process,” the corporate policy must be developed.

The policy should include a consistent methodology, human resource staff for reviews every six years, and continued adjustments based on the CPI.

Morrison introduced an amendment to “depoliticize” the review process, requesting it be conducted independently and designed in a way to remove council’s approval.

He said it would be better for transparency and if they were detached from these types of decisions.

“I’m hoping that after this review process is done … (it) will be the last time council needs to be involved in any part of the process,” Morrison said.

Dilworth agreed, stating a number of elected bodies are using consultants or staff to calculate how remunerations are handled.

However, she added there may be some years where council would want to defer raises based on the city’s financial situation or external factors.

Lahti pointed out council will need to provide some guidance during the annual budgets, as they will need to evaluate the impact from any pay increases..

Staff will report back to council on their methodology for the corporate policy.