The Township of Lake of Bays council has voted in favour of a pay increase for the 2026-2030 term.
The increase was approved during the Oct. 14 council meeting, following a report presented by Carrie Sykes, Director of Corporate Services.
According to the report, the Deputy Mayor and councillors’ salaries were below average when compared to other municipalities, specifically the District of Muskoka and the Township of Algonquin Highlands, Seguin Township, and the towns of Penetanguishene and Wasaga Beach.
“Staff are recommending these salaries be increased to reflect the 60th percentile of the comparative group as laid out in the report,” said Sykes.
Currently, the mayor’s remuneration is 8.86 per cent over the average salary of the comparator group and aligns with the 60th percentile, while the deputy Mayor’s remuneration is 10.39 per cent lower than average. Councillor’s remuneration is currently 11.34 per cent lower than the average salary across comparable municipalities.
The Deputy Mayor’s remuneration will increase 14 per cent, from $28,694 to $32,782, while the councillors’ pay will rise six per cent from $25,608 to $28,253. The mayor’s remuneration will remain at $55,540.
Beyond the salary changes, staff are requesting $7,000 to purchase laptops or tablets for every Council member. They are also proposing to provide the Mayor with a corporate cell phone; a move expected to create cost savings, decreasing the expense from $3,743 to $2,880 per term.
Council approved the increases, and staff are set to bring the final remuneration by-law forward for adoption at the November meeting.
