Here’s how much Mississauga’s mayor and councillors earned in 2022
Published April 5, 2023 at 4:12 pm
At first glance, it appears Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and her councillors took pay cuts in the last two years.
However, that’s not the case. An anomaly that happens every 11 years when the City of Mississauga reveals the annual salaries and benefits earned by City Hall politicians is responsible for the appearance of 2020 being a bigger salary year for the mayor and councillors than 2021 and last year.
A report from Shari Lichterman, the City’s corporate services commissioner and chief financial officer, presented to the mayor and councillors at last Wednesday’s meeting of general committee lists what Crombie and each ward councillor earned in 2022 (see chart below).
The Ontario Municipal Act stipulates that municipalities must make public each year such statements of remuneration and expenses paid to members of council, local boards and committees the previous year.
Last year, Crombie earned a salary of $146,198 in addition to $31,219 in benefits. That represented an increase from 2021, when she made $144,294 ($30,461 in benefits).
However, a look at 2020 earnings shows that Crombie, now in her third term as mayor, made $149,157 ($30,843 in benefits)–or nearly $3,000 more than her 2022 salary.
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Comparing the two years, it also appears, on the surface at least, that Mississauga councillors earned nearly $2,000 more in 2020 compared to 2022 ($94,790 in 2020, $92,909 in 2022).
A City spokesperson contacted by insauga.com said that while it may look like local municipal politicians received pay cuts during that period, it’s not the case.
“In 2020, members of council and all staff received 27 pays, including one pay in January 2020 for hours worked in December 2019,” the spokesperson said. “This occurs once every 11 years, which is why 2020 would appear higher than 2021 (and 2022).”
The variance in some councillors’ salaries last year is due to 2022 being an election year and four new councillors coming on board in November.
Brad Butt (Ward 11), Martin Reid (Ward 9), Joe Horneck (Ward 6) and Alvin Tedjo (Ward 2) all took office in late 2022, which is reflected in their earnings.
Other differences in earnings are due to councillors’ retirements (Pat Saito, George Carlson), a leave of absence to run in the provincial election (Dipika Damerla), election defeat (Ron Starr), resignation (Karen Ras) and temporarily filling a vacant council seat (Pat Mullin).
Crombie earned an additional $34,583 in 2022 for service as a director with Alectra Utilities while Ras ($1,125), Saito ($10,687) and Ward 9’s Sue McFadden ($1,125) made extra money for sitting as directors with Enersource Corporation.
Mayor Bonnie Crombie earned $146,198, plus $31,219 in benefits, in 2022.
