Saskatchewan MLAs, premier, cabinet receive pay increase of 2.6 per cent

The annual salary adjustment for Saskatchewan MLAs saw elected members receive a 2.6 per cent increase on April 1.

In Saskatchewan, MLA salary increases are tied to the consumer price index for that year.

In 2021, MLAs received a 0.6 per cent increase, which amounted to $600.

This year the increase equals a $2,617 raise from the base salary of $100,668 in 2021.

All MLAs will get a base salary of $103,285 for the next 12 months. Many will receive additional allowances for duties including those in the cabinet, house leaders or whips, and committee chairs.

The 2.6 per cent increase is also applied to these additional allowances.

The additional allowance for Premier Scott Moe is $75,121, which brings his total salary to $178,406.

Opposition Leader Ryan Meili, Speaker Randy Weekes, and government cabinet ministers received an additional $52,586 for a total salary of $155,871.

The increase is not applied to the $3,000 allowance for the eight government MLAs who are legislative secretaries.

Sask. MLAs among highest compensated

Saskatchewan MLAs are the fourth-highest paid in Canada, behind their counterparts in Alberta, Ontario and B.C. 

Alberta MLAs receive $120,936. Premier Jason Kenney's additional allowance is less than Moe's at $65,244, but he earns $7,774 more in total.

In 2019, a committee of Alberta MLAs voted to reduce their salaries by five per cent. Those salaries have remained at that level since.

Manitoba MLAs receive a base salary of $99,708. Members of the cabinet receive a higher amount than those in Saskatchewan, with an additional allowance of $54,589. Premier Heather Stefanson's additional allowance is higher than Moe and Kenney at $83,555. Her total salary is $183,263, which puts her in between Kenney and Moe.

Manitoba calculates their increases on the previous five-year moving average increase in the provincial consumer price index.

Saskatchewan MLA salaries have risen by $7K since 2018

In 2017, MLAs, government staff and Crown leaders took a one-year pay cut of 3.5 per cent.

The government wanted to reduce public sector salaries by 3.5 per cent to save an estimated $250 million, but received pushback and did not achieve those savings.

In 2018, Minister Jeremy Harrison, who sat on the Board of Internal Economy, said MLAs had received a 1.6 per cent increase over the four previous years.

In 2018, MLA salaries returned to the level they were at before the 3.5 per cent cut.

Here's the per cent increase and amount of MLA base salaries over the past five years.

• 2018 -  ($96,183).
• 2019 - 2.2 per cent increase  ($98,395).
• 2020 - 1.7 per cent increase ($100,068).
• 2021 - 0.6 per cent increase ($100,668).
• 2022 - 2.6 per cent increase ($103,285).

In 2020, both Premier Scott Moe and NDP Leader Ryan Meili said they would donate their pay increase of 1.7 per cent to charity.