Huntsville considers raising councilor pay

The 12% increase doesn't include the 40% District councilors would receive

Huntsville General Committee agreed to consider a pay increase for Council, in the April 30, 2025, meeting.

According to the staff report, Council passed a By-law in 2021 “to reflect the 35^th percentile of its’ comparators and have adjusted annually base salaries reflect annual increases incurred by non-union staff.”

Staff indicated that according to the Market Comparison table the Deputy Mayor and Council positions are below the 35^th percentile, and recommended pay increases to align within a 40^th percentile of municipal comparators.

Market comparators included are Orillia, East Gwillimbury, Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Oro Medonte, Bracebridge, Essex, Gravenhurst, Springwater, Inisfil, and Essa.

Other recommendations include adding health benefits, IT and communication equipment (i.e. laptops and cell phones), per diems, conference and meeting allowances, and developing a process for the increases.

The report indicates the current pay rate for the Deputy Mayor is $28,789 and $26,082 for Council members. This doesn’t include the pay for some as District of Muskoka Councillors who recently approved a 40% raise for themselves.

It adds that a 40th percentile increase would result in a 23.4% or $5,814 increase for the Deputy Mayor, bringing his salary to $34,603, and a 12.1% or $2,388 increase for Councillors, at $28,470.

The Mayor’s position is currently at a 65^th percentile, therefore, an increase will not be applied “until the base rate meets the current pay percentile,” indicates the report.

The pay increases would be applied to the next term of Council which would take effect in 2027 as the term begins at the end of 2026.

Committee members agreed that they should receive a cost-of-living increase, however, deferred the decision until next month when all members are present.

Councillor, Cory Clarke, disagreed with the timing of giving themselves a pay increase. He said, “There are not many people in Huntsville seeing wage increases right now… The Huntsville economy is slow, and people are struggling, therefore, Council increases should reflect that.”

He added, “There’s too much focus on what’s being paid in other Towns,” and the decision does not have to be done like always.

In the meantime, as per Committee request, staff will investigate benefits such as medical and IT and provide more information about it in the next meeting.