Council established an Independent Council Compensation Committee, comprising five citizen members appointed by the City Manager. The mandate of the Committee was to review and make recommendations on the remuneration provided to Members of Council, following research and public consultation.
The recommendations of the Committee, as approved at the January 23, 2013, Council meeting, are reflected below:
Salaries
Salaries are adjusted effective the first pay period of each year. The percentage increase or decrease is calculated using the percentage change in the 12 month average of the Alberta Weekly Earnings values from September of the previous year against the same value for the year prior, as reported by Statistics Canada. The 2016 increase is 0.88%.
The following is the salary that Members of Council are eligible to receive:
| 2013 | *Effective October 29, 2013 |
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | $163,928 | $163,928 | $169,681 | $176,145 | $177,695 |
| Councillors | $90,788 | $93,057 | $96,323 | $99,994 | $100,873 |
One third of the Mayor and Councillor’s salary is tax exempt, as allowed by the Municipal Government Act and the federal Income Tax Act. The fully taxable equivalent of eligible salary, effective December 27, 2015 is $224,582 (Mayor) and $120,285 (Councillors).
* Reflects Council's approval of the recommendations of the Independent Council Compensation Committee.
Benefits
| City of Edmonton | Council Member | |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Health | 0% | 0% |
| Major Medical | 70% | 30% |
| Dental Plan | 65% | 35% |
| 0% | 100% | |
| Life Insurance | 50% | 50% |
All members of Council receive an annual $500 flexible Health Care Spending Account.
Vehicle Allowance
| Mayor | $1,204.78 per month (1/3 tax exempt) or the choice of a City-owned vehicle |
|---|---|
| Councillors | $601.35 per month (1/3 tax exempt) |
Vehicle allowance amounts are indexed by the increase or decrease in the City of Edmonton mileage rate from January 1 of the previous year to January 1 of the current year. The change becomes effective in July of each year. The fully taxable equivalent is $1,522.68 (Mayor) and $717.07 (Councillors) per month.
RRSP
Members of Council have the option to participate in one of the following retirement contribution options:
a. 11% contribution by the City of Edmonton to elected official's total annual salary to support retirement; or
b. 12% contribution by the City of Edmonton directed to Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) Defined Contribution Pension Plan.
Transition Allowance
The City of Edmonton Members of Council will be provided with a transition allowance, upon the conclusion of their service, equal to three weeks salary for each year served, to a maximum of 36 weeks.
Parking
Members of Council are provided with parking permits for reserved stalls in City Hall, valued at $3,780.00 per year. Councillors' receive complimentary parking at Stanley Milner Library or Canada Place parkades, which they may or may not choose to use. They are also provided with complimentary permits for metered parking on City-owned property and restricted residential parking.
Transit Passes
Members of Council are offered City transit passes and may or may not choose to accept them. They are valued at $91.50 per month ($1,098 per year).
Employee Savings and Discounts
Members of Council may take advantage of savings and discounts offered to all City employees, including a 50% discount for admission to City recreation facilities.
Independent Council Compensation Committee
2012/ 2013 Council compensation review final report