Amid a record deficit, senior provincial officials are getting a pay raise for what government calls a job well done.
Ranging from two to 2.5 per cent, the pay bumps are performance based, retroactive to July 1, 2025, coming at a time when the province was cutting jobs and axing critical services and programs in response to the largest deficit in B.C. history.
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“It just really does strike an out of touch tone,” said Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson who had been the Conservative finance critic until he quit the party last week.
“You have the government saying these are performing bonuses at a time when we have worsening health care, worsening economics, worsening crime and safety…so what performance are we actually rewarding at this point at the same time when we’re telling the public service we’re going to have to scale back their jobs. I think it just sends a mixed message not just to their staff, but the public at large.”
The deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year was a record $7.7 billion, resulting in cuts to housing, long term care, services and jobs in an attempt to control costs.
READ MORE: Tighter spending, more revenue brings B.C. deficit down to $7.7B, minister says
Those in charge of the cuts, are now getting a pay raise, costing the province $23 million.
Executives, political staff and managers are getting a two to 2.5 per cent wage increase, with deputy ministers getting up to a 4.7 per cent pay bump.
Meanwhile, unionized public sector staff had to fight a record setting eight weeks on strike to get a three per cent increase.
“There’s an incredible amount of frustration in having to fight eight weeks for that deal. It’s something Alberta got without a strike,” said Paul Finch, president of BC General Employees Union that represents some government workers.
“It’s just another indication that our asks were reasonable. They were in line with the prevailing wage increases across the province.”
These executive/managerial pay bumps are performance based, government says. The metrics however remain unclear.
“Exactly what has improved? What exactly are these bonuses for? Are we getting faster health care? Have we got a better budget situation?” asked John Rustad, Conservative MLA and Treasury Board Critic.
“They haven’t sent any standards. So there’s no way of knowing if they’re out performing what they’re supposed to be doing in order to be receiving a performance bonus. So this to me just looks like doling out money when the government doesn’t have the money to spend on things like this.”
The budgetary crisis caused MLA’s to freeze their annual pay increases last year.
For the current 2026-27 fiscal year, B.C. is projecting a 13.3 billion deficit. Whether the MLA’s freeze continues has not yet been determined.
It also remains unclear if executives, political staffers will continue to get bonuses.
B.C.’s Ministry of Finance was unable to send CHEK News a statement before deadline.
With files from Rob Shaw.