Kelowna's elected officials are heading into 2025 with a notable pay increase.
Seven of the eight councillors will see their salaries rise from $50,500 to just over $58,000, while Mayor Tom Dyas will receive a bump from $135,848 to $145,200 annually.
The decision has drawn criticism, including a sharp rebuke from a recent article in the Kelowna Courier.
The article accused council members of taking a five-week holiday vacation and working only a few hours per month.
However, Mayor Dyas defended the pay adjustment during an interview with The Early Edition, citing the city’s rapid growth as a driving factor for the increased demands on council members.
Kelowna’s expansion, Dyas explained, has significantly increased the workload and responsibilities of lawmakers.
He further pointed to internal reviews showing that prior to the raise, Kelowna councillors were among the lowest paid when compared to similar or even smaller municipalities, some of which are half the city's size.
This assessment was reinforced by a 2023 survey conducted by the City of Victoria, which examined the compensation of officials in 18 communities—12 of them in British Columbia.
“It’s a commitment you make, and it’s only fair that with the growth of our community, [council pay] fits somewhere in the middle,” Dyas told Phil Johnson. “We’re still far from the highest, but we’re not the lowest anymore.”
Dyas acknowledged council pay is a sensitive topic, especially since the decision directly affects those making it.
However, he emphasized the importance of addressing compensation as the city grows alongside councillor workloads.
Notably, Councillor Ron Cannon was the only member to decline the pay increase. Prior to this adjustment, council salaries were tied to annual inflation-based increases.