Here’s how much mayors earn in the Toronto region

With the cost of living on the rise and many households in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) feeling the strain, you might’ve found yourself wondering how much local leaders are taking home in comparison.

Across the region, municipal leaders are earning substantial amounts, often far beyond a typical living wage. Most salaries in this breakdown were pulled from the respective city council expense statements as well as the Ontario Sunshine List, which discloses the names, salaries, and taxable benefits of public sector employees earning over $100,000.

From Pickering to Mississauga, here’s how much mayors across the GTA are taking home every year.

Toronto

In 2022, former Mayor John Tory earned $202,818, a slight decrease from $197,316 the year before. As of 2024, Mayor Olivia Chow’s salary stands at $225,304.04, according to the City’s website. Toronto city councillors currently earn a salary of $133,776.24, with their annual earnings indexed to inflation.

Toronto City Council members do not currently receive extra compensation for sitting on boards, agencies, or commissions.

Brampton

According to the Ontario Sunshine List, Brampton’s Mayor Patrick Brown earned $149,022 in 2023, with $19,059 in benefits. In 2022, his salary was slightly lower at $146,820, plus $18,109 in benefits.

Brown was the only member of Brampton’s city council to appear on the Sunshine List for his salary and benefits in 2023.

Mississauga

In 2023, former Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie earned $128,862.57, with $30,385.20 in benefits, according to the City’s statement of remuneration and expenses report. This was a decrease from her 2022 earnings of $146,198.

Councillors in Mississauga earn $94,704.42, with benefits ranging from $9,346.83 to $25,752.03.

Vaughan 

In 2023, Vaughan’s Mayor Steven Del Duca earned $201,652, with $15,337 in benefits, according to the Sunshine List. This was an increase from former Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua’s 2022 salary of $172,943, and his previous year’s earnings of $194,120.

Markham 

Markham’s longest-serving Mayor, Frank Scarpitti, made $278,473 in 2023, along with $23,946 in benefits. In 2022, his salary was $268,470. In Markham, members of the municipal council can receive additional pay for serving on committees.

Mayor Scarpitti holds various regional leadership roles, including Chair of York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (VIVA Transit), Co-Chair of the New Inclusion Table, and the Vice-Chair of Transportation Services for York Region. 

Pickering

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe, who also sits on the Durham Regional Council, earned $124,138.77 in 2023, along with $25,124.74 in benefits, according to the Ontario Sunshine List.