Anyone considering running for council next term may be encouraged by a substantial increase in pay, if a recommendation by the District’s finance committee is approved.
At its February 19 meeting, the District’s Finance and Corporate Services Committee approved a recommendation by staff via a consultant to increase council remuneration over the next four-year term (2026-2030).
Staff said the recommended increases are meant to “reflect the responsibilities and accountabilities of council roles and to attract strong qualified candidates to local government.” According to the staff report, the proposed increases would bring council remuneration to the market median when comparing remuneration in Niagara Region, Simcoe County, Wellington County, and Oxford County.
If approved for the next term, Muskoka councillors will see a pay increase of 48% over the next four years, from $28,330 in 2025 to $41,930 by 2030. The position of District chair would see an increase of 23.37% over four years, from $107,930 to $133,155. The deputy chair would see an increase of 42.40% by year four of the new term of council, from $36,362 to $51,782. See the charts below.
All committee members voted in favour of the increases, with the exception of Councillor Scott Morrison. While Morrison said he was not opposed to increasing council remuneration, he could not support the amounts being proposed.
The District finance committee is comprised of committee chair Peter Koetsier, vice chair Rick Maloney, District of Muskoka Chair Jeff Lehman, and District of Muskoka Councillors Guy Burry, Terry Glover, Peter Johnston, and Scott Morrison.
District council is expected to vote on the recommendation when it meets on March 17.
Current remuneration chart for District councillors, chair, and deputy chair.
Proposed increase for District councillors over the next four years at $3,400 increments per year.
Proposed increase for the position of District chair.
Proposed increases for the position of deputy District chair.
District Municipality of Muskoka Councillors are paid at the upper and lower tier municipal levels.
You can find the staff report to the committee HERE.
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How out of touch have our politicians become? People are unable to buy food and are struggling with basic needs and our local district thinks it’s a good idea and a good time to give themselves a 48% raise?? It’s so obscene it’s difficult to believe. And to come to this number by comparing Muskoka to other regions with a population of half a million or more? And to hire a consultant for this?? How much did that cost tax payers? Unbelievable. It seems every time you turn around there’s more waste tax dollars and incredibly poor decisions being made by our local governments.
This amounts to a very irresponsible move by the district to even consider a 48 % pay increase , when we live in challenging times , and people cannot afford the basics.
They should be ashamed of themselves! With trade tariffs looming large over our country , this is NOT the time for such a move.
I’m sorry, excuse me?
This is infuriating, and it absolutely cannot be permitted. In a time of austerity for Canadians in general, we have a completely out of touch local government reaching deeper into our pockets?
I’d be curious how much a “consultant” was paid to declare such a ludicrous proposition in the first place. Why is it that the politicians seem to even require consultants to make most decisions? These are elected officials who declared themselves reasonably able to decide what is best for the district and the municipalities, and it this is a very obvious and feeble attempt at insulating themselves from taking an responsibility for the decisions made or the consequences of those decisions. It is either ineptitude or deception, and a pure lack of respect for taxpayers.
This is utterly appalling, and I would encourage everyone who lives in the district and pays taxes to reach out and express their personal feelings on this. It would appear the only way to create accountability is to manufacture it ourselves. Government in Canada has, on all levels, become insatiable and lost all respect for the electorate.
We deserve better, and we need better.
Almost a 50% increase. Must be nice to get. Those who voted in favour should pay a visit to the local food banks and see how the other half lives. Try a visit to the public housing projects
to see the peeling paint. How much was the consultant paid? The stench of this increase is even worse than driving by a hog farm.
Dear Editor: February 23 2025
Regarding a pay raise for Councillors. Let’s not ask the obvious question – Will we have an extra 12% return on our investment? And let’s not play the money game. Instead, let’s play the productivity game. It seems fair to compare Muskoka to Kawartha Lakes. (I do not want blowback from Councillors who will remind us that Muskoka has a huge seasonal population. Kawartha Lakes also has a seasonal population.) So, for our comparison, we triple the official Muskoka population – 200,000. KL has a similar number of ratepayers
(which we also triple) – 240,000. But KL’s Councillors are paid WAY more than their Muskoka compadres! Wha’? Here’s what hurts. Muskoka has 24 Councillors. KL has 8 Councillors. Muskoka’s Councillors answer to 8000 ratepayers each. But KL;s burden is 10,000 each. Could it be that Muskoka is over-governed? Yes!
As Muskoka Councillors seem to be snuggled safely in a cocoon, let’s look at Simcoe County. Its Councillors
also voted for a pay raise last November. The blowback was immense. It included a snarky Doug Ford!
The upshot – and Muskoka Councillors will not like this- last month Simcoe County decided to dispose of HALF their Council team. From 32 to 16! Yes, the pay increase is in place but the productivity team is halved. And now – each Simcoe County Councillor answers to over 30,000 ratepayers. Even with the unreformed council in Simcoe, each Councillor answered to over 16,000 ratepayers. Let that sink in. I did use the word over-governed. For history: 15 years ago when Chairman John Klinck became head of Muskoka District, there were similar stirrings regarding over-governing. But, Councillors would need to vote themselves out of a job. End of the 2010 story – until Simcoe last month. Is this the end the Muskoka 2025 pay raise story?
Caution : Don’t call Elon!
(If I were mean, I would emphasize that at present Muskoka Councillors
(on paper) actually answer to 2600 ratepayers each.)
Ted Lute – Bracebridge
Consultant recommended raise? Firstly why are district staff hiring consultants to recommend a raise for their bosses? When some people in Muskoka are in need of food banks and can’t afford to pay rent a raise in pay for councillors should have never been discussed! The amount of the pay raise recommended is also ridiculous. If any raise were recommended it should be capped at the cost of living. I thought people ran to be on council to make the town and district better. If this pay raise is passed, I will know I am wrong! The proper way to approve pay raises for council would be to add a line on the ballot in the next election that let’s tax payers decide. Council should follow Scott Morrison’s lead, he is the only one on the finance committee that doesn’t appear to be money hungry!