How much should London city councillors get paid? City wants to know what you think

Londoners will have a chance to sound off on city councillor compensation this weekend.

The city is hosting an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the North London Optimist Community Centre, 1345 Cheapside St.

The Council Compensation Review Task Force is encouraging Londoners to come out and ask questions and provide feedback. A presentation will take place starting at 2 p.m.

The task force is made up of citizens who will recommend how much London councillors should be paid.

“I think the people I work for, who are the citizens of Ward 6 and elsewhere in the city should be telling me what I get paid,” said Coun. Phil Squire.

“The nature of the job of what we’re doing, I suppose the hours, and then what we should be compensated. That’s what they’re going to be coming back and reporting, I think.”

Squire says he and most councillors knew what they’re signing up for compensation-wise when they ran and he doesn’t think a raise should come into effect before the start of the next term.

READ MORE: London councillors tackle lengthy meetings

The role of a city councillor includes communicating with constituents, attending council, committee, board, and commission meetings, as well as being involved with research, planning, community events, mentoring, advocacy, education, specials projects, and assignments.

With the exception of scheduled meetings, councillors do not have set hours of the day or week for conducting their business. Estimates suggest councillors’ put in between 20 and 60 hours per week.

READ MORE: London city council approves recording in-camera meetings

London councillors earn a salary of $36,262. In a comparison to 16 other cities across Canada, including Halifax, Saskatoon, and Kitchener, London ranked last in compensation.

Londoners can also take the task force’s survey by going to getinvolved.london.ca. Responses received by April 3 will be used in the task force’s final report.