MLA raises capped at 3 per cent

Saskatchewan MLAs will be getting a smaller pay raise next month than first anticipated.

Their pay is, in part, tied to inflation, so with high inflation numbers last year, the base MLA pay would have seen a $7,023.38 increase on April 1, bumping it up to $110,303 — not to mention an increase to the extra remuneration those with more duties get, like the premier and opposition leader.

However, both the Saskatchewan Party and NDP leaders rejected the raise, saying it’s way too much, and referred the issue back to the board of internal economy to take another look.

The board has now made changes to the formula system for pay, installing a range with a minimum of zero per cent and a maximum of three per cent for changes, either up or down.

This year, because the Consumer Price Index average annual increase for 2022 was above three per cent, the MLA’s increase will be capped at that maximum three per cent. That will bring MLA’s base pay up more than $3,000 to $106,384.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that MLAs will be getting a pay increase for 2023.