Judges on P.E.I. best paid in region

P.E.I.'s provincial court judges were the highest paid in Atlantic Canada last year, according to a report tabled in the provincial legislature Wednesday.

The report from Justice Minister Doug Currie showed that the Island's three judges each earned $213,000 last year.

An independent commission looks at judge salaries on P.E.I. every three years. It determines salaries by taking an average of all the provincial court judges across the country. Currie said he believes that system is fair.

"The training and qualifications of judges in this province is no different than any other jurisdiction in the country," he said.

Currie said three years ago government proposed that salaries be based on the average salary of judges in this region. The commission did not accept that recommendation, saying a judge has the same responsibilities regardless of where they live or work.

Currie did not have an up-to-date salary scale for Canada's provincial court judges so he doesn't know where P.E.I. ranks this year.