Cariboo Regional District directors consider doubling their pay

Cariboo Regional District (CRD) directors are looking at more than doubling the remuneration for CRD elected officials.

The board has requested CRD staff to return analyze the impacts of changes that are being contemplated which include an increase to base compensation for rural directors to $28,900 per year - up from about $12,900 per year, noted a CRD news release regarding the March 23 and 24 CRD board meeting highlights.

Chair Margo Wagner said other than the cost of living increase there has not been an increase in pay for directors in almost 20 years and the CRD’s directors are the lowest paid in the province by thousands of dollars.

“While none of us get into this for the money, we have no pension plan and benefits are not included,” she said.

Every election the CRD receives comments from younger people who are interested in running but cannot afford to, Wagner said.

“We see an increase of younger people getting elected in municipalities where the remuneration is often more for comparable population and work load.”

The board will leave compensation for municipal directors - who would be mayors who sit on the board - the same. Wagner said municipalities reimburse the CRD for the pay municipal directors receive.

During a committee of the whole meeting the directors discussed different comparisons for two and a half hours and then referred it to staff for further investigation.

If they decide to proceed with the increase it will not affect the budget this year but will next year.

Wagner said average directors’ workloads have increased dramatically over the last few years with most making may less than minimum wage even taking into account meeting costs and mileage expenses.

As chair, she puts in an average 5o to 60 hours a week on CRD business, plus about 40,000 km on her own vehicle.

“I do make more as chair but I am still nowhere near minimum wage for the hours I put in,” Wagner said.

If the proposed increase is aproved it will put the directors mid-range in comparison to how much regional district directors are receiving.

“People I have heard from have said could we not do 25 per cent this year and 25 per cent next year but the problem with that is that other regional districts look at their remuneration if not yearly then every other year. By the time we get to 2026 we will be behind the eight ball again,” Wagner said.

The board also proposed adopting CRA mileage rates for travel costs and removing the cap on travel time that may be claimed under the policy. The proposed changes remain preliminary and are subject to further consideration informed by cost estimates from staff on the proposed changes.

Last year the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board of directors voted to give itself a 2.8 per cent pay raise, along with automatic annual increases in line with the Consumer Price Index.

TNRD made the move after determining wages were lagging behind the average in other regional districts. The increase – in a 16-9 vote – means electoral area directors will receive $25,256 per year, and municipal directors $15,135. The per-meeting rate for directors will also jump from $160 to $170.

Williams Lake city council approved a rate increase in August 2022 for the mayor to receive $63,588 annually, up from $53,357, and the councillors rate to $22,964 annually, up from $18,613.

Wagner said it was a unanimous decision at the board level to send it back to staff with the recommendation of $28,900 per year.

The next CRD board meeting is scheduled for April 14.

READ MORE: TNRD board votes in favour of increasing wages

This articel has been updated to include information from CRD chair Margo Wagner

- With a file from the Barriere Star Journal