The provincial government has officially responded to the Judicial Compensation Commission's recommended salary increases for Alberta's 109 Provincial Court Judges and seven Masters in Chambers.

An Order in Council signed April 15, 2004 will increase judicial salaries from $170,000 to $186,000 for 2003-04, $193,000 in 2004-05, and $200,000 by the 2005-06 fiscal year. The commission recommended salaries of $200,000, $210,000 and $220,000 for the same time periods. In approving the increase, government is recognizing the work done by the commission and the important role the judiciary play in administering justice in Alberta's provincial courts. The last salary increase for the judiciary was in 2000.

The Order in Council also increases the per diem rate for supernumerary judges from $760 to $893 by 2005-06. The commission recommended an increase to $1,060 per diem-a 40 per cent increase over three years.

The increased salaries combined with costs for pension contributions and other associated benefit costs, will cost the province an additional $17 million over the three year period. Government's original submission to the commission was for 3 per cent increases in 2003-04 to $175,100, in 2004-05 to $180,353 and in 2005-06 to $185,764.

The three-member commission was struck last year to gather input from the provincial government, the Alberta Provincial Judges' Association, individual judges and the public, and to make recommendations for judicial compensation for the period of April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2006.

The Judicial Compensation Commission submitted its final report to government on February 5, 2004. Under the Alberta Provincial Judges Compensation Commission Regulation, the government had 90 days from that date to respond to the recommendations. The government was also required to provide written reasons for any commission recommendations not accepted. These reasons are included in the Order in Council signed April 15, 2004.

In 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada directed the government to set up an independent commission to review compensation of provincial court judges.

Justice Web Site: http://www.justice.gov.ab.ca (for a copy of the Judicial Compensation Commission's final report, click on "Publications.")

Dave Hancock
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
(780) 427-2339

Michael Shields
Justice Communications
(780) 427-8530

Alberta Government Home | Ministries Listing | Justice and Attorney General Home Page | News Releases |Top of Page

Send us your comments or questions

Copyright(c); 2004 Government of Alberta