Councillors voted down, free lunch continues in Victoria

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Victoria City Hall

Victoria taxpayers will continue to pick up the tab for providing city councillors and senior staff with a catered lunch during daytime meetings, at a cost of about $10,000 a year.

Councillors Marianne Alto and Charlayne Thornton-Joe tried to remove the lunches from the city’s budget during deliberations Friday. They maintained that it was an unnecessary expense and that councillors would be better off getting out of City Hall for some fresh air and buying their own meals.

They were outvoted by other councillors, some of whom justified the free lunch on the grounds that they have stressful jobs and don’t make a lot of money, and that other government bodies provide similar lunches. They said sharing a meal improves collegiality and taking time to “break some bread together” is in keeping with Indigenous traditions.

Staff say the catered lunches, which began last May, are costing the city about $1,000 a month and, at the current pace of meetings, will likely exceed the budget estimate of $10,000 a year.

Alto, who initiated the debate, said councillors have been making tough budget decisions for weeks and at times have wrestled with spending as little as $1,800 on some items, while trying to limit tax increases for residents.

She said there have been a number of comments during those discussions that council doesn’t have to spend every cent at its disposal.

“And I agree with that,” she said. “Therefore, I don’t think it’s reasonable for us to continue to allow the taxpayer to pay for our lunches when, in every other circumstance when people want to get together in the workplace to provide an opportunity for collegial interaction, they bring their own brown-bag lunches. I don’t see that we’re in any other position than that.”

Coun. Sarah Potts said there are a number of studies showing the benefits of providing lunch to employees. She noted that council and staff are getting “zero waste” lunches that contribute to increased productivity, a healthier workforce and a stronger connection between employees. “And the money isn’t just going out the window,” she said. “All that money is going to support local business.”

Councillors are paid $45,384 a year with an annual increase tied to inflation, according to figures provided by the city.