Federal MPs saw pay bump this week. What about Danielle Smith and Alberta politicians?

It was revealed earlier this week that federal politicians will be getting an increase to their salaries amid a cost of living crisis. So what about their provincial counterparts in Alberta?

Premier Danielle Smith will not see a pay hike this year. A spokesperson for the Alberta Legislature confirms the cost-of-living adjustment for salaries is currently suspended.

It means the premier’s salary will remain at just over $186,000. Smith’s salary is less than Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek, who will make just over $213,000 in 2024.

The salaries for Alberta MLAs will also stay the same. Members of the legislature make around $120,000, which is approximately the same as Calgary city councillors.

Kris Sims is the Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and believes it’s a sign of leadership from Smith and Alberta MLAs to not take a pay raise.

“Lots of hardworking Albertans haven’t been getting pay raises either,” she says.

Sims says that same leadership isn’t exactly replicated at the federal level where politicians recently accepted a 4.4 per cent increase.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s salary is now over $400,000, while MPs now make over $200,000 a year. Cabinet Ministers make just shy of $300,000.

“Those are the second highest wages for politicians in the world,” Sims says. “We don’t think they need to be making minimum wage, but we also don’t think they need to be pulling half-a-million dollars.”

“We think it is important in a representative democracy, for the politicians to be able to relate to their voters.”

The salary freeze for Alberta politicians may not last long, the province confirms a review is taking place and a report is expected to be submitted in the fall.

“Once the report is submitted there could be further discussion, consultation or other consideration by the committee, so the timing for any decisions is indeterminate at this time,” reads a statement from a provincial spokesperson.

The provincial government has taken action on reducing their salaries in the past. In 2013, members voted for no salary adjustments for five years before voting to reduce their salaries by five per cent in 2015.

In 2019, an all-party member services committee voted to cut the pay of MLA’s by five per cent, while then-Premier Jason Kenney took a pay cut of 10 per cent.

More information on Alberta MLA remuneration can be found here.