Metro Vancouver mayors' salaries under fire as councillors demand review

VANCOUVER — Several Metro Vancouver councillors are calling for an immediate review of mayoral compensation after revealing some regional mayors earn nearly double what provincial cabinet ministers receive.

New Westminster Coun. Daniel Fontaine said there is no justification for regional mayors earning more than B.C. cabinet ministers, whose maximum base pay was $172,112 as of 2023.

"We see some of the mayors in the Metro region are earning close to $400,000 a year, so it's excessive," Fontaine told CityNews Thursday. "It is beyond what the public would expect from our local mayors and politicians, and it needs to end."

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley, who earned the highest compensation among Metro Vancouver mayors in 2023 at $330,704.

According to 2023 financial reporting compiled by the councillors, Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley topped the compensation list at $330,704 in base pay and per diems, excluding benefits such as car allowances. Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie followed at $312,030, Delta's George Harvie at $291,402, and Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West at $276,437.

Surrey Coun. Linda Annis echoed concerns about excessive compensation Friday morning, telling 1130 NewsRadio that "mayors should not be earning more than the prime minister of Canada, or premier, or cabinet ministers for that matter."

The Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council, which includes representatives from 21 municipalities and one electoral area.

The salary controversy has intensified following a May governance review by accounting firm Deloitte, which found public confidence in Metro Vancouver is at risk due to excessive director compensation. The independent report described the Metro Vancouver board and its three related boards as too large and unwieldy to effectively govern.

Metro Vancouver's board was scheduled to meet Friday to discuss compensation adjustments, including eliminating double payments for meetings lasting more than four hours. However, Fontaine and other councillors argue the proposed changes are insufficient.

"Almost universally, people tell me they are frustrated," Fontaine said. "They wish they had the ability to have more direct control over these elected officials."

Burnaby City Hall. The city's mayor received the highest compensation among Metro Vancouver mayors in 2023.

The compensation debate comes amid public frustration over massive cost overruns at Metro Vancouver projects, including the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, whose budget ballooned by $3.5 billion.

Annis criticized the lack of direct accountability, noting that Metro Vancouver directors are appointed rather than elected.

"The directors are making decisions about some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the metro area," she said. "To me, that's extremely problematic."

In response to the criticism, Metro Vancouver stated that immediate action was taken in May to address board remuneration following the Deloitte review. The regional district noted it cannot impose salary caps on mayors' total compensation, as that authority rests with the provincial government.

The governance review recommended a hybrid board structure but stopped short of calling for direct elections of Metro Vancouver directors, despite concluding the current system has created "mistrust and frustration" among stakeholders.

Multiple councillors across the region have now joined the call for comprehensive compensation reform, arguing that public sector salaries must align with taxpayer expectations and project performance.