With the topic of city council wages being discussed in recent weeks, KelownaNow decided to look into how much Kelowna elected officials earn per year.
On Mar. 25, Kelowna City Council voted in $18,000 and $15,000 wage increases for the mayor and councillors, respectively.
Last month, council was told their salaries had fallen “significantly” behind comparable cities.
On April 8, city council voted 5-4 in support for the wage increase, which will see them get half their proposed pay increase immediately and the other half in 2025.
However, councillors have the option to opt out of the wage increase and they would remain at the pre-adjusted 2024 remuneration, but council members elected in the 2026 municipal election would receive the new wage.
City staff say the goal of increasing the pay is to get the wage to a point where it is not “a barrier to attracting candidates to run for office, nor so high as to negate the concept of public service that motivates individuals to run for office in the first place.”
However, sitting on city council is not the only source of income for many members around the table
Some are retired, some work for local companies and a majority of council members sit on the board for the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO).
The regional board consists of 13 members including one director each for the Central Okanagan east and west electoral areas.
There are also six representatives from Kelowna, one from Lake Country, one from Peachland, two from West Kelowna and one non-voting representative from Westbank First Nation.
Kelowna City Council’s six representatives include mayor Tom Dyas and councillors Loyal Wooldridge, Ron Cannan, Charlie Hodge, Gord Lovegrove and Mohini Singh.
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This is the third amendment to wages that Kelowna council has voted on in the past two years. Before the two votes this spring, council voted in favour of offering extended benefits to all members of council and their dependents during the 2022-2026 council term.
As for the RDCO, they also undertook an “interim” review of board member salaries in July 2022 with another review planned for 2025.
According to a spokesperson for the RDCO, the 2024 Consumer Price index adjusted rates for board members are:
So, how much do Kelowna City Council members really make per year when you factor in their seat around the regional district table?
It’s important to note that some councillors have other sources of income. For example councillor Maxine DeHart does not currently sit on the RDCO board but is the director of sales and marketing at the Ramada Hotel and conference centre.
Tom Dyas is also the president of his company TD Benefits, which is a local insurance and employee benefits broker.
Loyal Wooldridge was also CEO of his own hair salon, Loyal Hair Therapy, for 15 years before selling in late 2021, which he has said he did to focus more on his role as a councillor and regional board chair.
As mayor of Kelowna – $126,497.29 ($145,200 after the full raise is implemented in 2025)
As a RDCO board member – $21,810
Total: $148,307.29 ( $167,010 by next year)
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As chair of RDCO board – $56,077
As a councillor for City Council – $42,991.14 ($58,080 after the full raise is implemented in 2025)
Total: $99,068.14 ($114,157 by next year)
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As RDCO board members – $21,810
As a councillors for City Council – $42,991.14 ($58,080 after the full raise is implemented in 2025)
Total: $64,801.14 ( $79,890 by next year)
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With the increase to councillor wages approved on April 8, Cannan, Hodge, Lovegrove and Singh could be looking at making approximately $72,345 in 2024 as elected officials for the City of Kelowna and the RDCO.
Due to the phased approach to the wage increase, with half being administered immediately and the other half in 2025, that would increase to $79,890.
That does not take into consideration any potential wage increases for RDCO board members next year.
Councillors Cannan, Lovegrove and Singh were among those who voted against the wage increase and failed to have a motion supported to reconsider the adoption of the bylaw, which was done on April 15.
Wooldridge would be looking at earning around $106,612 this year and approximately $114,157 by next year as an elected official.
Dyas could be looking at making $157,658 this year as an elected official.
By 2025, he could be making $167,010.
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These numbers do not account for any potential increases to RDCO remuneration or what those council members earn in their private careers.
They are also rough estimates and do not factor in the fact that Kelowna City Council is voting in a wage increase four months into the year.
To view the RDCO remuneration bylaw, click here. To view the City of Kelowna remuneration bylaw, click here.
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