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

“Prince Edward Island 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.

Prince Edward Island MLAs earn a base salary of $84,598, nearly double the median American state representative. Meanwhile, Prince Edward Island has a higher combined top marginal tax rate than any American state.

While MLAs are being paid more than most of their American peers, the province’s economy is not keeping pace. Prince Edward Island has the third lowest GDP per capita of any province or state in Canada and the United States.

“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, Prince Edward Island MLAs received an automatic 2.75 per cent pay raise to $86,924 without a vote of the legislature on April 1, 2026.

“The last thing MLAs should be doing is lining their pockets with more taxpayer cash,” said Drover. “Islanders 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.