The increase in the stipend paid to the seven trustees came into effect at the beginning of April.
The pay hike boosts the amount paid to chairwoman Franci Stratton to $24,163 from a previous $21,763 while vice-chairman Barry Forward will get $22,895, up from the previous amount of $20,495. The other trustees will get $22,176, up from a previous amount of $19,776.
Those amounts will be automatically adjusted each year according to the Vancouver consumer price index.
The last time trustees raised their pay was five years ago - in 2008.
Stratton defended the decision to boost the politicians' pay, saying the role of trustees has changed over the years. Trustees easily spend between 80 and 100 hours a month on board business, said Stratton. "I think that's significant," she said.
"We have a significant amount of responsibility," she added. Stratton said during the previous board's term, they opted not to raise their pay, cognizant of the mandate for zero pay increases facing union workers and difficult budgetary decisions.
She added the increase will amount to about $200 more per month for each trustee.
In making the decision, the board considered amounts paid to trustees at five other school districts in the Lower Mainland. Stipends for regular trustees ranged from $19,770 in West Vancouver to $27,530 in Coquitlam.
