Mayor Gilles Lehouillier and the other elected officials of Lévis will lead by example by limiting their salary increase to 2% in 2023, well below galloping inflation and the 4.8% to which they would have been entitled under the current regulations.
• Read also: Korean restaurant: Marchand makes a mini mea culpa
• Read also: Guilbault will defend the tram, according to Marchand
In most large cities like Lévis, the salaries of elected officials are indexed each year to reflect the increase in the cost of living. The formulas vary from one municipality to another, but, as a general rule, the calculation is based on the increase in the consumer price index (CPI), which fluctuated around 7% in September, compared to the previous year.
On an annualized basis, the Statistics Canada data used by the Lévis administration as a reference index for calculating the salary increase was a little lower, but it was still close to 5%.
The elected officials of Lévis have however decided that it was out of the question to receive such a generous salary increase, it was decided, in the current “exceptionally inflationary” context.
The regulations on the remuneration of elected officials will therefore be modified to avoid a surge in salaries, by capping the increase at 2% for the next year, it has been decided. City managers will receive an identical increase.
A question of “solidarity”
“We made this decision and we are very proud to do so. The city council should lead by example. I think that the population will be happy to see that we are putting our shoulder to the wheel to try to show solidarity also with people who are going through difficult situations and who certainly do not have increases to match inflation. “, declared the mayor of Lévis in a press briefing on Monday.
“In terms of labor relations, you also have to be consistent. We will have collective agreements to renegotiate. If elected officials recklessly increase their salaries in a situation like this, that does not send out a good signal,” he added.
Including his expense allowance, the mayor of Lévis has an overall remuneration of approximately $180,000. This means that he will pocket around $3,500 more in 2023. For advisors, the increases will vary between $1,000 and just over $2,000.
Quebec will cap the increase too
In Quebec City, Mayor Bruno Marchand also confirmed recently that elected officials would not get a salary increase based on inflation.
“We spoke to the opposition parties. There is no identified figure for the moment, but we all agree that it is not acceptable to go to this level, ”he said.