B.C. MLAs voted unanimously Wednesday to freeze salary increases of provincial politicians, a measure intended to show residents that the government understands how rising inflation is impacting the province’s residents.
With the motion passed, there will be a freeze on salary increases for 2023.
MLAs would have received a 7–10 percent raise as of April 1, 2023, tied to inflation. For some members of the legislature, that would be upwards of a $10,000 raise. Wage increases are based on the consumer price index, which was sitting at 8 percent in October 2022.
The private member’s bill was first put forward by Opposition House Leader Todd Stone, who on Nov. 21 issued a statement saying any pay increase was “poorly-timed.”…