Photo: Contributed

Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming

Vernon's next mayor and council are in for a raise.

Following the Oct. 15 election, mayor and councillors can expect to be paid more to lead the city.

At their regular meeting Monday, city council received, and endorsed, a report to establish a remuneration schedule for the 2022-26 council, which will be sworn in on Nov. 7.

The mayor currently has a remuneration base rate at $2.44 per capita and with the population increasing, that means more money for the city's top elected official.

The most recent Statistics Canada census profile shows Vernon’s population increased by almost 5,000 residents from approximately 40,000 in 2016.

The mayor’s position was paid $96,292 in 2021 according to the city’s website. Councillor salaries would be set at 37 per cent of the mayor’s pay, approximately $39,000.

A city spokesperson said the exact increase depends on the COLA and number of residents in the city.