Legislation to freeze salaries for members of the legislative assembly expires March 31

FREDERICTON (GNB) - Legislation that has been in place to freeze salaries for members of the legislative assembly will expire on March 31. This means that salaries of MLAs, cabinet ministers and that of the premier will revert back to what they were in 2015.

Amendments have been in place to freeze MLA salaries since 2016. Prior to that, various wage restraint measures had frozen salaries since 2008.

"Our government has managed our finances responsibly, reduced our net debt, and has put our province in a position for ongoing and sustainable growth. This will allow us to remove the wage freeze on MLA and cabinet salaries," said government house leader Glen Savoie.

When the wage freeze ends on March 31, there will be no increase in the salaries of MLAs, which will remain at $85,000.

The salaries of members of the Executive Council and the premier will return to what they were in 2015. As of April 1, the salary of ministers, currently at $47,353, will be adjusted to $52,614; the salary of the premier, currently at $67,150, will be adjusted to $79,000; and the salary of ministers without portfolios, currently at $35,550, will be adjusted to $39,500.

This adjustment brings New Brunswick's MLA salaries in line with those of the other Atlantic provinces, said Savoie.

The legislative administration committee is currently reviewing MLA and ministerial salaries.