• Salaries of the Mayors
  
• Salaries of the Councillors
  
• Salaries of the Edmonton Public School Board and the Catholic School Board trustees
  

The mayor received payment for his services for the first time when the Town Council awarded Matthew McCauley $200 in December 1894 for his services as mayor during 1892 - 1894.

Aldermen did not receive any payment for their services until 1936 when the City Council authorized that they be paid a fixed salary of $500 per annum.

The seventies and eighties saw large increases in aldermanic salaries. In 1972 aldermen awarded themselves a 26 percent salary increase. In 1977 they increased their salaries by60 percent immediately after the municipal election in October. The Edmonton Journal took the City Council to court over this increase. The judge threw the increase out of court in 1978 and ordered a plebiscite on that issue, but City Council avoided it by rescinding the increase. The issue was finally settled when a citizen’s committee was formed and recommended a more moderate increase.

In February 1987 aldermen voted for a 15 percent raise after a five-year wage freeze. They also awarded themselves a special stipend of $6,000 for services on council’s executive committee for the three-year term. The mayor’s salary was increased 13 percent.

In March 1989 aldermen approved a 51 percent salary increase over three years. The mayor’s salary was increased 30 percent over three years. This increase would tie aldermen’s salaries to those of Alberta MLAs and also ensure that the mayor’s salary is always double that received by aldermen. One third of council salaries is tax-free.

In November 1995 Coun. Rose Rosenberger made the motion to cut the $44,322 salary of every councillor by five percent but was voted down. Only Coun. Robert Noce and Coun. Allan Bolstad supported Rosenberger. (Edmonton Journal, November 19, 1995, p. B2).

On February 1, 2000 city councillors voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of five-member committee of citizens that was appointed seven months ago to review council’s pay and benefits. These recommendations gave council members an 18% pay increase and an enhanced benefits package that includes a pension plan and severance allowance. The wage increase, benefits package and pension plan are effective immediately; the severance allowance will come into effect after the 2001 election.

Summary of accepted recommendations:

• Mayor’s salary increases to $100,500 from $88,644, one third tax-free. Mayor continues to receive annual $8,500 car allowance.
• Councillor’s salary increases to $52,500 from $44,322, one third tax-free. Each councillor will now get a $400-a-month car allowance.
• Council members will get the same employee benefits package and employer contribution rates as most city managers.
• The City will contribute 6% of councillors’ annual salaries to a pension plan. This will cost the City $6,030 for the mayor and $3,150 for each councillor.
• Member of council will get severance payment when they leave office equal to two weeks’ salary for each year served to a maximum of six months. Mayor’s maximum is $50,250 and councillors’ maximum is $26,250.
• The committee also recommended that the City, together with the University of Alberta, develop an educational program for newly elected officials.

Source: Edmonton Journal, February 2, 2000, p. A1, A14

The current remuneration for members of City Council is described below.

*The salary for members of Council is adjusted on January 1st of each year by the same percentage increase or decrease as the Average Weekly Earnings for Alberta as reported by the Statistics Canada survey of employment payroll and hours for the immediately preceding year.