Metro Vancouver board plans to reverse pay raises after public 'outrage'

TheMetro Vancouver board of directors could scrap a pay increase they voted to give themselves after public outcry over the move.

Regional district board chair Greg Moore said Tuesday he will bring forth a motionto reverse a sweetened compensation package for directors that gives them a retroactive retirement bonus and a pay bump starting in 2019.

"We listen to our residents and citizens and obviously over the last week or so we've had a lot of ... comments about this remuneration bylaw and a lot of people upset about it," Moore said.

"I think it's important for us to listen and reconsider it and bring it back and hopefully defeat it."

In March, Moore and other directors of the Metro Vancouver board voted in favour of the increased pay.

The board consists of local politicians from the 21 municipalities that make up the regional district, plus a representative from TsawwassenFirst Nation and, on parks matters, a representative from Abbotsford.

Moore defended the raises as a way to make politics more attractive to people who may need to leave a career behind.

Perils of raising pay

When asked if there's a way to increase the salaries of politicians without drawing the ire of voters, Moore sighed and said, "I'm not sure."

As mayor of Port Coquitlam, he said he has gone through the process of increasing his and his council's pay several times.

In some instances, his city relied on outside experts to weigh in on pay increases; in another, an advisory group of business leaders has put forward advice.

"Not once have citizens ever agreed, 'hey, that was a great process!'" he said.

"There have always been people that were upset that we had to make the decision about our own remuneration. I think it's just part of the job."

"But the other part of our job is to listen to our citizens," he added. "If they are as outraged as they are with this one, then we change our minds."

He says one option used in other provinces is to simply let the provincial government decide if municipal politicians should get a raise.

However, he added, that can let local politicians off the hook for "tough decisions."

Moore said the motion to scrap the pay increases will be introduced April27. He expects it to pass.