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Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ontario MPPs to receive 35 percent salary increase and reinstated pension plan
Ontario's Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) are set to receive a significant salary increase and regain access to a pension plan, marking the end of a 16-year salary freeze. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy introduced legislation on May 29, 2025, proposing a 35 percent pay raise for MPPs, aligning their base salary with 75 percent of that of federal Members of Parliament (MPs). Salary adjustments Under the new legislation, the base salary for MPPs will increase from $116,550 to $157,350. Premier Doug Ford's salary will rise from approximately $208,974 to $282,129, while cabinet ministers will see their pay increase from about $165,851 to $223,909. The Leader of the Official Opposition will now be paid $244,207, up from $180,866. These changes are retroactive to the date of the 2025 Ontario election. Pension plan reinstatement The legislation also proposes the reinstatement of a pension plan for MPPs, which was abolished in 1995 by then-Premier Mike Harris. Under the new plan, MPPs will join the existing Ontario Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) and will be eligible for supplemental benefits after serving at least six years. This move aims to attract qualified individuals to serve in the provincial legislature. Live Events Legislative support The proposed changes have received support from all parties in the legislature. NDP representative John Vanthof emphasized the importance of offering competitive compensation to attract qualified candidates, stating, "When we're looking for other candidates, qualified people to actually direct the future of this province, for most of them, they have to take a huge pay cut to come here.' The legislation is expected to add $6 million in payroll costs in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, representing 0.06 percent of the total compensation awarded to Ontario's public servants.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Ontario MPPs to receive 35 percent salary increase and reinstated pension plan
Salary adjustments Pension plan reinstatement Live Events Legislative support (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Ontario's Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) are set to receive a significant salary increase and regain access to a pension plan, marking the end of a 16-year salary freeze. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy introduced legislation on May 29, 2025, proposing a 35 percent pay raise for MPPs, aligning their base salary with 75 percent of that of federal Members of Parliament (MPs).Under the new legislation, the base salary for MPPs will increase from $116,550 to $157,350. Premier Doug Ford's salary will rise from approximately $208,974 to $282,129, while cabinet ministers will see their pay increase from about $165,851 to $223, Leader of the Official Opposition will now be paid $244,207, up from $180,866. These changes are retroactive to the date of the 2025 Ontario election. The legislation also proposes the reinstatement of a pension plan for MPPs, which was abolished in 1995 by then-Premier Mike Harris. Under the new plan, MPPs will join the existing Ontario Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) and will be eligible for supplemental benefits after serving at least six years. This move aims to attract qualified individuals to serve in the provincial legislature. The proposed changes have received support from all parties in the legislature. NDP representative John Vanthof emphasized the importance of offering competitive compensation to attract qualified candidates, stating, "When we're looking for other candidates, qualified people to actually direct the future of this province, for most of them, they have to take a huge pay cut to come here.'The legislation is expected to add $6 million in payroll costs in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, representing 0.06 percent of the total compensation awarded to Ontario's public servants.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ontario NDP, Liberals successfully stall Bill 5 after filibustering until midnight Thursday
Bill 5 was successfully stalled in committee after Ontario NDP and Liberal MPPs filibustered from around 4 p.m. on Wednesday until midnight Thursday. The filibuster has blocked the controversial bill from going into its third and final reading, as the committee process will now continue into next week, Ontario NDP said in a statement on X just after midnight on Thursday. The MPPs "used every committee tool to delay progress [on] Ford's attempt to rush through this legislation without proper consultation," the statement said. Bill 5 would create so-called "special economic zones" where the government can exempt companies or projects from complying with provincial laws or regulations. It would also replace the province's endangered species act, replacing it with an new law that critics say waters down protections. The bill has been criticized by First Nations, environmentalists and legal advocates, who have said the proposed law would gut environmental protections for wildlife and infringe on treaty rights. Leader of the Official Opposition Marit Stiles participated in Wednesday's filibuster. She addressed Ontario Premier Doug Ford directly in a post on X around 12:20 a.m. Thursday. "Your government now has the time and opportunity to do the right thing: Scrap Bill 5. Let's go back to the drawing board, and do this right," the post read. Monday is the earliest the committee process can continue, Liberal MPP Ted Hsu said in a video on X around 1 a.m. Thursday. A spokesperson for the premier's office did not directly address the filibuster in an email Thursday morning. "The Premier's and Ministers' comments yesterday stand as response on matter related to Bill 5," spokesperson Hannah Jensen wrote. WATCH | Ontario First Nations leaders say communities will take a stand if bill passes: After question period at Queen's Park on Wednesday, Energy and Mining Minister Stephen Lecce said the government brought forward the bill "in good faith" after hearing concerns from Ontarians about delays for mining projects. He said the government is committing to responsible resource development and policy, while upholding its duty to consult with First Nations under Treaty 9. "We think we can do both, we think we found that balance but we understand we've got to keep listening," Lecce said on Wednesday. Speaking at Queen's Park on Wednesday evening, Ontario NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa said the MPPs would debate the 40 clauses in the amendment, line-by-line, during the filibuster. "We cannot stop the bill, but we can certainly slow down the processes that are there," Mamakwa said. The government attempted a motion to continue Wednesday's committee meeting until 9 a.m. on Thursday, but that motion failed, a spokesperson for the Ontario NDP said. During the filibuster, Stiles said the government initially scheduled the committee to sit until 12 a.m. Thursday, which she said "is bad enough," before attempting to extend it into the morning. "While the rest of us are in agreement that we should move this committee to daytime hours, the government is making sure that this committee is taking place under the cover of darkness," she said, speaking around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Ford government put forward amendments to the bill on Wednesday in response to criticism, including that the government will also create "Indigenous led economic zones." But opposition leaders say the government hasn't defined what this means. The government also introduced what are known as duty to consult provisions. "Regulations under this Act shall be made in a manner consistent with the recognition and affirmation of existing Aboriginal and treaty rights in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, including the duty to consult," the proposed amendment reads, according to an email from the premier's office Wednesday. But First Nations leaders in Ontario say the government already failed in its duty to consult. They want the province to start over and involve First Nations in drafting a new bill.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Premier Doug Ford and Ontario MPPs are poised to get a raise. Here is how much their salaries could be going up
Ontario MPPs are about to get a nearly $41,000 raise and will also be eligible to participate in a pension plan for the first time in decades. The salary for MPPs has been frozen at $116,500 since 2009, with successive governments on either end of the political spectrum opting to keep the measure in place. But legislation that was tabled at Queen's Park on Thursday afternoon proposes lifting the freeze and setting MPP pay at 75 per cent of the salary awarded to Members of Parliament—currently $209,800. That would, in turn, see MPP salaries increased by 35 per cent to $157,350 with the change retroactive to the day of the most recent Ontario election. The premier's salary will increase from $208,974 to $282,129 while cabinet ministers will see their salaries hiked from $165,851 to $223,909. The Leader of the Official Opposition will now be paid $244,207, up from $180,866. Officials say the salary increases will add $6 million in payroll costs in 2025-2026, but will only represent 0.06 per cent of the total compensation awarded to Ontario's public servants. The legislation, once approved, would also give MPPs access to Ontario's public service pension plan, which was previously abolished by the Mike Harris PC government in 1995. Under the legislation, MPPs would join and contribute to the plan on the 'same terms' as other members who serve elsewhere in Ontario's public service. But officials say that due to the 'unique nature' of their work, MPPs would also be eligible for a 'supplementary benefit' that would allow them to receive pension benefits after six years of service. They could begin collecting their full pension benefits at age 65 or receive a reduced pension by the age of 55. Officials say current MPPs will be given credit for the years of service they have already logged but must still be on the job at the end of this current session of Parliament to be eligible. The pension will eventually replace a benefit, which saw the government contribute the equivalent of 10 per cent of an MPPs salary to a retirement savings account each year. The cost of the pension plan to the government is expected to total $6.8 million in 2026-2027. The new legislation comes after Premier Doug Ford hinted he would lift the pay freeze for MPPs during his first news conference following his re-election this past winter. At the time, he said it was 'not fair' that MPPs had not received a pay increase since 2008. 'I don't want to sound like a bleeding heart for politicians but come on folks, these guys work their backs off,' Ford previously said. Officials say the eligibility for a pension after six years of service was set to mirror the rule for federal Members of Parliament. The new salary structure, once approved, will still result in MPPs earning less than Toronto City Councillors ($170,558). Ford will now make more than Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who previously had a higher salary at $225,304.
CBC
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
'Country can't be at a standstill' during new session: Conservative MP
Power & Politics hears from Alberta Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar on his party's priorities as Parliament returns without Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre at the helm of the Official Opposition. Majumdar says since the session is so short, the House must 'get to work' to fix the issues at the top of Canadians' minds.
