On June 28, 2024, the province released a report on the pay for elected officials. The document covers salaries, allowances, and retirement benefits for the premier as well as MLAs serving in the Manitoba Legislature. It is the first such report since 2017.
Prepared by Michael D. Werier, Commissioner on Salaries, Allowances and Retirement Benefits, was appointed by the Legislative Assembly Management Commission, which in turn is chaired by the Speaker of the Assembly. The commission consists of members of all three parties who currently have elected members: the NDP, the Progressive Conservatives, and the Manitoba Liberals.
Werier’s role is to research historical and interprovincial data for comparison’s sake in order to decide on appropriate salaries and benefits. His decisions are binding.
“There is a consensus across the country that MLAs should be paid a fair and reasonable salary,” Werier says in the report. “It should be at a level to attract qualified individuals to run for office, but not at a level where it is considered to be an inducement to seek the position.”
There is no precise formula to help determine appropriate salaries for elected officials, though, he adds, and no other occupations to compare with that share the unique characteristics of these governmental positions.
“That is why independent reviewers have consistently opined that the best comparables are salaries paid to MLAs and other elected officials in other provinces and federally,” Werier continues. “This, of course, must take into account the economic conditions in each jurisdiction, including the cost of living in each area.”
Based on the report’s findings, Premier Wab Kinew’s annual salary as of April 1, 2024 will come to $195,936. This includes a base salary of $106,603 as well as an additional salary of almost $90,000 to compensate for the roles he plays as both premier and MLA.
“The premier earns the highest salary of elected members,” Werier says. “It is a demanding job and has many high-pressure responsibilities. None of this is disputed.”
When comparing salaries to premiers across the country, Newfoundland and Labrador comes in lowest at $160,525 while Quebec is at the top at $270,120.
Werier’s report also takes into account the salaries being paid to Winnipeg’s mayor and city councillors.
Winnipeg mayor Scott Gillingham currently earns $213,328 annually, well above that of the premier.
City councillors, too, earn more than an MLA. A Winnipeg councillor takes home $114,609 annually compared to the MLA, who earns $106,603.
“One would expect that salaries at the provincial level would be higher or at the very least equivalent to the municipal level, but this is not always the case,” says Werier. “While I cannot find justification for the difference in salary, I am mindful that economic conditions do not support the kind of wage increase that would be necessary to bridge or eliminate the gap, but it is relevant to take into account these differences when assessing fair and reasonable compensation for members.”
The report compares wages across the country for MLAs. For these provincial representatives, Prince Edward Island is at the bottom of the list with a wage of $82,116 and Quebec once again tops the chart at $131,766.
Werier’s report takes things one step further by reporting on the wage of a member of the federal House of Commons. Members of the house see almost double the annual salary of an MLA, coming in at $203,100.
In Manitoba, the leader of the opposition comes in just under the premier at $164,967. The cross-country comparison here, too, keeps Manitoba at around the midrange of all the provinces.
Over and above salaries, MLAs are also eligible for allowances which cover authorized expenses. These include meal and travel expenses as well as costs incurred in setting up an office, paying office rent, and staffing expenses to pay an assistant’s wage.
Some living expenses are also covered.
Annual cost-of-living increases are also determined by Werier. MLAs in Manitoba, as well as the premier, can expect a 2.5 and 2.75 percent increase over the next two years. After that, their increase will be reassessed and capped at three percent.
The recently introduced Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Act requires that the provincial government not incur a deficit larger than the baseline amount. If this is not met, the salaries of MLAs are to be reduced by 20 percent if the deficit exceeds the baseline in the first year and as much as 40 percent in the second year if the trend continues.
These withheld wages are to be repaid once the deficit is reduced to below the baseline.
Municipal Salaries
When talking municipal politics, the salaries of elected officials drops off significantly. That’s because it’s presumed that these jobs will require significantly fewer hours.
Even so, there are no overarching guidelines by which municipalities must set the payscale for their elected officials. For the most part, councils determine the cost-of-living allowance (COLA) increases they’ll be eligible for over a series of years.
In 2024, the mayor of Niverville is collecting just shy of $28,000 per year for his work for the community. The deputy mayor receives just over $20,000 and each councillor just over $18,000.
Each council member can also collect nominal compensation when they attend meetings or events outside the community.
“When looking at remuneration provided to councils in southeastern Manitoba, one can see that rural municipalities like Hanover, Ritchot, and Springfield have much higher remuneration then Niverville does,” says Cyrus Reimer, communications director for the Town of Niverville. “We can also look at communities of similar size to us, such as Morden, Altona, Neepawa, or Stonewall, and see that [Niverville council salaries are] in line with them. We then balance that with the workload that is required to help run our community, which is the fifth-fastest growing in the country.”
Two years ago, the salaries of Ritchot council members underwent a formal review by an ad hoc committee called the Ritchot Community Indemnity Committee. St. Adolphe resident Ron Rochon chaired the committee of six, which represented each ward in the RM plus the business community.
At the time, the committee determined that a significant salary increase was in order if quality people were to be attracted to these positions.
In 2024, the mayor of Ritchot is set to receive just under $50,000. Each councillor’s salary will come to just better than $28,500. Additionally, Ritchot’s mayor and councillors receive hourly pay for attending meetings and events that are considered extraneous to their regular duties.
Federal Salaries
This year, federal parliamentarians were awarded a 4.4 percent increase in pay. This results is an annual salary of $406,200 for the prime minister. The leader of the oppositions receives $299,900, about the same wage as the average federal cabinet minister.
