Councillors are being given a choice if they want a pay increase.

At its Mar 25 meeting council voted in favour of a staff recommendation that will increase the mayor91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s salary from $126,497 to $145,200, and councillor salaries from $42,991 to $58,080.

The recommendation followed a recent review of 12 municipalities by the City of Victoria that identified the Kelowna mayor91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s remuneration to be lower than all municipalities except Kamloops.

Councillor remuneration, as a base percentage (35 per cent) of the mayor91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s remuneration and in dollars, was last.

The recommended salary increase for the mayor is the 60th percentile of the communities in the City of Victoria study, with councillors receiving 40 per cent of the mayor91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s remuneration.

Council voted in favour of the increases with Councillors Gord Lovegrove, Mohini Singh and Rick Webber opposed. Coun. Loyal Wooldridge was not at the meeting.

A staff report going to council April 8, states current council members may choose not to receive the increase, but that all councillors will get the new remuneration after the 2026 municipal elections.

The mayor and council will be getting their new salaries in steps, with the mayor receiving $135,848 and councillors getting $50, 535 upon adoption of the bylaw.

Full salaries ($145,200 for the mayor and $58,080 for councillors) will take effect on January 1, 2025.

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