Halton Regional Council members expenses, salaries go up in 2022

Over $1.8M was paid to local council members and board appointees in 2022, according to a staff report prepared by Halton Region.

Region Chair Gary Carr topped the list of salaries, benefits and expenses paid to board members in 2022 at $243,939.

The exact total amount the Region paid last year was $1,831,785. That’s an increase of almost $200,000 from the $1,636,128 spent on council members in 2021.

As a result of loosening COVID-19 restrictions, the cost of expenses were up from 2021. Members spent $71,293 in 2022 as compared to just $20,115 the previous year.

Mileage claims were $638, just slightly higher than $551 in 2021.

Carr was top earner in 2021 as well, collecting $233,448.

The remuneration for 2022’s totals also includes council members sitting on boards. Members of the Halton Regional Police Service Board were paid $57,468 and conservation authority boards $36,379, while other board members received $13,086.

Regional Councillors received anywhere from $7,073 up to $71,933.

Burlington Ward 3 City and Regional Councilor Rory Nisan, who was elected as the Board of Directors’ Vice President at Large last month, took home the biggest pay among councillors at $71,933.

O’Meara was next highest at $69,257, followed by Milton Ward 1 Regional and Town Councillor Colin Best ($69,245) and Burlington Ward 6 Regional and Town Councillor Angelo Bentivegna ($69,220).