Vernon on hook for RCMP back pay

JENNIFER SMITH Morning Star Thu Sep 21st, 2017 5:00pm
A back pay windfall is on its way for Vernon police officers. The city estimates the pay increase to be approximately $332,090, but it has been planning for the funds. The earnings, retroactive to 2014, are from the last federally approved pay raise for RCMP officers across the country. The federal treasury board finally approved a 1.25-per-cent increase as of Jan. 1, 2015 and another 1.25-per-cent hike as of Jan. 1, 2016 in April of this year.“The city anticipated RCMP pay raises in its budgets so that sufficient funds were set aside until the monies were paid,” said Debra Law, Vernon’s director of financial services. “As such, the retroactive payment will not cause a tax increase in 2017.” Vernon previously funded 48 full time members and as of 2017 there are 50. Meanwhile Kelowna is on the hook for a much higher windfall for police – $1.1 million.