Vancouver's Highest-Paid Municipal Employees Revealed in 2025 Salary Report
The City of Vancouver has released its annual statement of financial information, detailing the salaries of municipal workers and politicians for 2025. The report highlights substantial increases across top positions, with the police chief leading the pack by breaking the half-million-dollar threshold for the first time.
Police Chief Tops Earnings List with Historic Salary
Vancouver Police Department salaries are not included in the city's primary financial statement, but separate executive compensation data reveals that the police chief remains the highest-paid municipal employee. Former chief Adam Palmer earned $487,224 in 2024 before retiring last April. His successor, Chief Steve Rai, now leads the department with a salary exceeding $500,000, marking a significant milestone in municipal compensation.
Mayor and Council See Substantial Pay Increases
Mayor Ken Sim earned $212,531 in 2025, representing an approximately 18 percent increase compared to his predecessor Kennedy Stewart's final full-year salary. City councillors received between $108,129 and $127,367, with those serving full terms earning 10 to 25 percent more than their counterparts from five years earlier.
Park board commissioners earned $21,157 each, while chairperson Laura Christensen received $26,186. These figures reflect ongoing adjustments to municipal compensation structures.
City Manager and Senior Leadership Compensation
Outside the police department, the city manager typically represents the highest-paid municipal position. Current manager Donny van Dyk assumed the role in September 2025 with a reported annual salary of $450,000. This represents a 16 percent increase over his predecessor Paul Mochrie's final full-year compensation.
The city's senior management team received substantial compensation packages in 2025:
- CFO Colin Knight: $282,183
- Director of legal services and city solicitor Francie Connell: $345,842
- Deputy city manager Karen Levitt: $350,899
- Deputy city manager Sandra Singh: $345,728
- General manager of engineering services Lon LaClaire: $338,777
- General manager of development, buildings and licensing Corrie Okell: $285,125
- Deputy city manager Armin Amrolia: $340,026
- Fire Chief Karen Fry: $325,817
- Chief human resources officer Andrew Naklicki: $305,495
- Park board GM Steve Jackson: $310,706
- Acting GM of planning, urban design and sustainability Josh White: $315,532
- GM of arts, culture and community services Margaret Wittgens: $300,293
- Chief of external relations Maria Pontikis: $265,922
- Auditor General Mike Macdonell: $305,425
- Director of long-term financial strategy and treasury Grace Cheng: $374,684
- Chief librarian Ben Hyman: $131,072
Unusual Severance Payments and Financial Context
The report also reveals that the city paid severance to an unusually high number of former employees during the reporting period. This additional expenditure occurred alongside the salary increases for current personnel, reflecting broader financial management decisions within municipal operations.
The comprehensive salary disclosure provides transparency into Vancouver's public sector compensation at a time when municipal budgets face increasing scrutiny. The data shows consistent upward trends across multiple positions, with leadership roles experiencing particularly notable increases compared to historical benchmarks.
As Vancouver continues to grow and face complex urban challenges, these compensation figures reflect the city's investment in retaining experienced leadership across various municipal departments and services.
