Meaford Council is approving a motion for decision to bring forward a 2023 budget which includes a 2.5 per cent employee cost of living wage increase.
During a council meeting on Dec. 12, Coun. Steven Bartley brought forward the motion for decision. It recommended to waive the Cost of Living Adjustment Policy, which includes an annual budget with a one per cent increase for staff, in favour of a 2.5 per cent increase.
The policy was established to keep employee salaries within the 50th percentile of comparator municipalities in the face of rising inflation felt across the province in 2022.
As the cost of living adjustment of one per cent will not maintain salaries at the 50th percentile, however, the 2.5 per cent is being recommended.
“Because of the election, people don’t have budgets out yet. Grey Highlands hit the streets this morning with their budget, they are starting at three per cent, Southgate is asking four per cent plus a 2.5 market correction, I’m hoping that the people around the county fall in around three per cent, and this 2.5 is a starting point. We can go up, we can go down in the budget process. To come out with a one per cent, we are falling behind right off the bat compared to the other municipalities that we compare to, and it is going to put us in trouble in the years after,” says Bartley.
Clerk and Director of Community Services Matt Smith says the recommendation would only waive the one per cent increase for the 2023 budget.
“The reason why, personally I think this is a good idea, as someone who has been playing with budget numbers, is that if you as council know that you are going to give a higher cost of living adjustment than one per cent, then it is better that you start with something higher than that now,” says Smith. “At least doing it this way, you got a starting point, which perhaps is closer to reality for this year, and that means that the number that gets published on Jan. 30, when it is tabled in front of you, will be a number that won’t automatically have to go up.”
Treasurer and Director of Financial Services Valerie Manning was not able to confirm how much a 2.5 per cent increase would affect the budget.
