A 16-year pay freeze impacting Members of Provincial Parliament could be coming to an end.
Proposed legislation from Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy could increase salaries by 35 percent.
It would move MPPs’ wages to just over $157,000 a year, with the Premier earning over $282 thousand.
If approved, the increase would be retroactive to February 27th, the date of this year’s provincial election.
The province says because of the decision in 2009 to freeze MPP salaries, compensation for MPPs lags behind many other elected representatives, including some city councillors.
The new legislation also proposes future increases to be the same as offered to their federal counterparts.
A new pension plan for MPPs is also proposed that would be integrated with the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP).
This plan would replace the current retirement savings arrangement and allow MPPs to access their full benefits after six years of service.
Pending approval of the legislation, the new plan would take effect on January 1st, 2026.