Canadian provincial politicians took substantially bigger salaries than American state representatives in 2025, according to a new report from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“New Brunswick MLAs are paid significantly more than their American peers yet they’re not delivering better results,” said Devin Drover, CTF Atlantic Director. “Giving bigger paycheques to politicians doesn’t lead to better outcomes for taxpayers.”

The median Canadian provincial politician made nearly three times the salary of the median American state representative at $113,637 and $45,002 respectively, according to the report.

New Brunswick MLAs earn a base salary of $93,126, more than double the median American state representative. Meanwhile, New Brunswick has one of the highest combined top marginal tax rates of any province or state in Canada and the United States.

While MLAs are being paid more than most of their American peers, the province’s economy is not keeping pace. New Brunswick ranks at the bottom of Canadian provinces for GDP per capita.

“Provincial politicians are among the highest-paid in North America while charging families some of the highest taxes on the continent,” said Drover. “Bigger salaries aren’t motivating politicians to leave more money in the pockets of taxpayers.”

Despite this, New Brunswick MLAs voted themselves a raise in 2024. The base MLA salary jumped from $85,000 to $93,126, an increase of nearly 10 per cent.

“The last thing MLAs should be doing is lining their pockets with more taxpayer cash,” said Drover. “New Brunswickers pay some of the highest taxes in North America and deserve politicians focused on lowering their bills, not padding their own paycheques.”

To view the CTF’s full Subnational Politician Pay Report, click HERE.