(Updated 6 a.m., Feb. 14)
City council approves first pay hike in six years
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Ottawa's city councillors will receive an extra $1,300 this year after voting themselves the first pay increase in six years.

The cost of living raise will bring the councillors base salary to approximately $93,000 which is in line with similar sized cities in Canada.

In voting themselves a raise, councillors also voted against a motion that would have allowed some of them to opt out of the increase. The opt put motion failed by a vote of 15-6, with Mark Taylor, Scott Moffatt, Steve Desroches, Diane Deans, Doug Thompson and Mayor Jim Watson all voting in favour of it.

The motion was largely seen as a grandstanding gesture given the fact that they can write a check to the city at any time they want.

Council also voted to extend severance payments equalling one month for every year served, to retiring councillors. Previously only those councillors who ran and lost were eligible for the severance payments.

(This story was made possible thanks to their generous support of our local business partners.)

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