The total tab for New Westminster city council was $721,264 in 2023 – including remuneration for present and past council members.
The total remuneration paid out by the City of New Westminster in 2023 totalled $671,313 when $163,119 in transitional allowances for three former council members were factored into the total remuneration for 2023.
On top of $508,194 in remuneration that the seven current council members received in 2023, they also combined for $49,951 in expenses in 2023. That makes for a grand total tab of $721,264 in 2023.
B.C. municipalities must make the statement of financial information (SOFI) report public by June 30 of each year. There are several documents within the report, including a schedule of remuneration and expenses for council.
Two mayors made the list in 2023 – Mayor Patrick Johnstone, who had remuneration of $149,591, and former mayor Jonathan Cote, who had a transitional allowance of $106,443.
Cote, who did not seek re-election in the October 2022 civic election, received a separation allowance in compliance with the city’s council remuneration policy. (Under that policy, the mayor and council are entitled to a separation allowance upon completion of their term(s) in office equivalent to 10 per cent of their annual indemnity for each year of service commencing after Dec. 1, 2008 (a 12-year cap).)
In 2023, councillors had a range of expenses, including attendance at Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM), Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) conferences. They can also receive expenses for attending other conferences/seminars, training, city-sponsored community events and “other” expenses required to perform their job functions.
In 2023, Johnstone had $17,798 in expenses, including: attending conferences and seminars, community events, city-sponsored community events. He also had $12,689 in “other” expenses.
The schedule of council remuneration and expenses does not detail the specific conferences or events included in the council members’ expenses.
In addition to the present and past mayor, eight councillors – including two former councillors – are listed on the 2023 schedule of council remuneration and expenses.
Former councillor Mary Trentadue received a transitional allowance of $36,302 and former council Chinu Das received a transitional allowance of $20,374. (Former councillor Chuck Puchmayr is listed on the report, but he received no funds from the city, as he received his $47,010 separation allowance in 2022.)
Along with their regular remuneration, councillors receive $1,000 for each month they serve as acting mayor. In 2023, Coun. Tasha Henderson had remuneration of $60,767, while all the remaining councillors received $59,767.
At $7,752, Henderson claimed the most expenses of all councillors. Not too far behind was Coun. Paul Minhas at $7,457.
Coun. Jaimie McEvoy had expenses of $5,194. (McEvoy has been on a leave of absence from council since February 2024, after suffering a heart attack on Feb. 2 and undergoing triple-bypass surgery.)
Coun. Ruby Campbell had expenses of $4,333, while Coun. Daniel Fontaine had expenses of $4,043. At $3,372, Coun. Nadine had the fewest expenses of all council members in 2023.
The SOFI report is included in the June 24 city council agenda.
