Council pay and expenses statement required annually in Ontario

Municipal Treasurers must provide an annual statement to council before March 31 with an itemized list of remuneration (salary) and expenses paid to members of council and members appointed to committees and local boards in the previous year.

Statement

284 (1) The treasurer of a municipality shall in each year on or before March 31 provide to the council of the municipality an itemized statement on remuneration and expenses paid in the previous year to,

(a) each member of council in respect of his or her services as a member of the council or any other body, including a local board, to which the member has been appointed by council or on which the member holds office by virtue of being a member of council;

(b) each member of council in respect of his or her services as an officer or employee of the municipality or other body described in clause (a); and

(c) each person, other than a member of council, appointed by the municipality to serve as a member of any body, including a local board, in respect of his or her services as a member of the body.  2001, c. 25, s. 284 (1).

Mandatory item

(2) The statement shall identify the by-law under which the remuneration or expenses were authorized to be paid.  2001, c. 25, s. 284 (2).

Statement to be provided to municipality

(3) If, in any year, any body, including a local board, pays remuneration or expenses to one of its members who was appointed by a municipality, the body shall on or before January 31 in the following year provide to the municipality an itemized statement of the remuneration and expenses paid for the year.  2001, c. 25, s. 284 (3).

Public records

(4) Despite the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, statements provided under subsections (1) and (3) are public records.  2001, c. 25, s. 284 (4).

Section 284 of the Municipal Act

Example

Belleville Council Remuneration Bylaw

Belleville annual council pay and expenses statement

What if my municipality doesn’t have a registry?

If you can’t find a copy of your municipality’s Pecuniary Interest Registry, contact your members of council and municipal clerk and politely ask where you might access it, and if does not exist, remind them that it is required under the Municipal Act.

If they do not or are not able to produce one, the next step is to submit a Freedom of Information request under MFIPPA to obtain a copy of it.

See: What to do if your municipality won’t provide a document required by law

FOI request template for annual council pay and expenses statement