Members of Parliament may be receiving a pay increase of between $8,000 and more than $16,000 a year in 2024, according to new figures released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).
The estimated 4.2 percent pay hike is slated for April 1 unless a wage freeze is put into effect, the CTF says.
The projected rise would push backbench MP annual salaries up to $202,700 from the current rate of $194,600. Cabinet ministers would collect $299,300 up from $287,400 while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would take home $405,400 compared to the current annual rate of $389,200.
The average annual salary among all full-time workers in Canada is $67,000, according to Statistics Canada.
While final pay numbers have not been confirmed for this year, contract data published by Ottawa shows the average annual increase in the private sector was 4.2 percent in 2023. The CTF used this data to estimate the 2024 pay raises for Parliament. If correct, backbench MPs will make an extra $8,100 this year while ministers will make an additional $11,900. The prime minister’s salary will go up by $16,200.
The Epoch Times contacted the Office of the Prime Minister for comment but did not hear back by press time.
The salaries of Canadian MPs are on par or lower than those of allied countries.
In Australia, backbench MPs make $225,742, while senior government cabinet members can expect roughly $370,000. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, meanwhile, makes $564,360 a year. All three positions make significantly more than their counterparts in Canada.