Dysart et al councillors are getting a hefty pay rise in 2025, though mayor Murray Fearrey noted the extra money is being allocated to attract more people to run for office in next year’s municipal election, rather than compensating incumbents.
At a Jan. 28 meeting, council approved upping the mayor’s annual salary to $40,000 back dated to Jan. 1, an approximate 24.15 per cent increase from the $32,219 Fearrey earned in 2024.
The deputy mayor position, currently held by Walt McKechnie, will now pay $30,000 a year, up 16.39 per cent from the $25,775 earned last year; while councillors Pat Casey, Nancy Wood-Roberts, Tammy Donaldson, Carm Sawyer and Barry Boice will each get $25,000, a 10.85 per cent hike from $22,552.
Fearrey was set to earn $32,798 this year, with McKechnie originally getting $26,239 and councillors receiving $22,958.
Dysart’s mayor has long preached for increased pay, noting the hours required of some council members to effectively fulfill their role is similar to that of a full-time job.
“I don’t think anyone here is desperate for money, that’s not the issue. We’ve got to get some interest for next year,” Fearrey said. “The last thing we want is for there to be more acclamations… right now, at the current pay, it’s hard to attract qualified people. We’re lucky here that we’ve got four people involved in business. We’ve not always been that lucky.”
Casey, Sawyer, Boice and Donaldson all run their own businesses, while Wood-Roberts is a nurse at Haliburton Highlands Health Services. Fearrey and McKechnie are both retired.
More than half of the sitting members were acclaimed during the 2022 election, with Fearrey and McKechnie unopposed for the leadership positions and Donaldson, in ward three, and Boice, in ward five, given a free ride.
It was a similar story at County council, Fearrey noted, with Minden Hills mayor Bob Carter and deputy Lisa Schell also acclaimed. Only Highlands East mayor and current County warden Dave Burton and Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen, the deputy warden, were elected.
Highlands East deputy mayor Cec Ryall and Algonquin Highlands deputy Jennifer Dailloux were each acclaimed as the ward three councillors in their respective communities.
“The average age at the County level is over 70. That’s not very healthy,” Fearrey said, noting he’s also calling on the upper tier to adjust its pay structure for sitting representatives. It did so Feb. 12.
Dysart clerk Mallory Bishop said, “some councils in Ontario are raising their remuneration in preparation for the election. It is something that’s being discussed in other areas… an attempt to attract candidates to run.”
Dysart CAO Tamara Wilbee provided a list of comparative municipalities based on population size, seasonal influx, employment markets and scope of services, noting the numbers council approved – suggested by Fearrey – were “not far off” what other communities are paying.
Pay structures in Minden Hills last year were $33,224 (mayor), $27,635 (deputy), and $22,715 (councillor); Algonquin Highlands paid out $36,723, $29,379, and $24,645; while Highlands East paid $32,500, $26,150, and $22,025.
Mayors in Selwyn ($45,216 in 2024), Muskoka Lakes ($46,410 in 2022), Parry Sound ($46,190 in 2024), Seguin ($46,375 in 2025), Lake of Bays ($48,631 in 2022), and Georgian Bay ($57,750 in 2022) all earned more than Fearrey will bring in under the approved rates, Wilbee noted.
New deputy mayor and councillor pays are consistent with what those communities offer, Wilbee added.
Council also opted to bring annual pay increases in line with what non-unionized staff at the township receive, rather than basing it on inflation determined by the consumer price index (CPI). Wilbee said while there’s no official rate, workers usually receive the same as their CUPE-contracted counterparts. Staff will get a four per cent hike this year and 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027.
