The New Brunswick government introduced legislation on Tuesday to freeze salaries for elected officials in the province for the next five years.
The move will see wages retroactively frozen for members of the legislature for 2015 and 2016. The freeze will be in place until 2021.
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Wages for lawmakers in the province have been frozen since 2008 meaning that members of the New Brunswick legislature won’t have had a raise in 13 years.
The legislation will also suspend any adjustments to the salary received by the premier, cabinet ministers, the Speaker and deputy Speaker of the legislative assembly and the opposition party leaders.
“Your government is committed to investing in job creation, education and health care,” Rick Doucet, leader of the government in the house, said in a press release on Tuesday.
“In order to afford those investments, we have made tough choices like cutting our own salaries.”
Members of the New Brunswick legislature make $85,000 a year.
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The freeze will see Premier Brian Gallant’s pay remain at $152,150 while cabinet ministers make an additional $47,253 on top of their salary as a member.
“This legislation demonstrates that we are all in this together and that when it comes to fiscal responsibility your government is ready to lead by example,” said deputy house leader Lisa Harris in a press release.
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