City council approved the addition of a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to the city's staff compensation policy.
In keeping with public sector best practices, the addition of the COLA is to ensure that the city's wage ranges keep pace with the rate of inflation.
This is done to ensure that the city can remain competitive and attract and keep qualified persons working for the municipality.
Additionally, without a COLA, wages can be effectively reduced and lag behind the cost of living as inflation increases.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rating for Calgary will be used by the City of Chestermere to determine the COLA recommendation for staff saleries.
Annually, the July CPI rating will be used to determine the adjustment for the following budget year.
Staff salaries are approved by City Council as part of the City of Chestermere's multi-year budget cycle.