CALGARY, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released the estimated ‘transition allowances’ paid to retired or defeated MLAs following the 2015 General Election.

Though transition allowances were scrapped in 2012 by then-Premier Alison Redford, it was not a retroactive cut – meaning many MLAs defeated on Tuesday are still getting big cheques on their way out.

There were 74 retired or defeated MLAs after the May 5th vote. Twenty-five retired, and 43 were defeated. The transition allowance payment is based on three months salary for each year served as MLA.  

Some of the highest transition allowance payouts were $874,000 to defeated MLA Gene Zwozdesky, and $873,000 to retired MLA Yvonne Fritz.

In total, taxpayers are on the hook for an estimated $13.4 million in transition allowances, and can expect to pay more down the road.

“The election night parties are over, but now taxpayers are stuck with the hangover, and the bill,” said CTF-Alberta Director Paige T. MacPherson. “These politicians are now out of office, and yet we’re still paying them – to leave.”

"We are happy these transition payments are not continuing, but we would have preferred they were retroactive and taxpayers not have to keep paying MLAs to leave for years to come,” said MacPherson. "The CTF is supportive of a matching RRSP contribution. However, the current agreement has taxpayers shelling out up to $4.50 for every $1 contributed by an MLA.”

MLAs are currently eligible to receive RRSP contributions from taxpayers of up to 16.65 per cent of their base compensation per year. The total RRSP contribution from taxpayers for defeated and retired MLAs is a whopping $7.1 million.

CTF estimated calculations for each of the 74 retired or defeated MLAs can be found online at: http://www.taxpayer.com/media/2015-MLA-Transition-Allowance-Estimates-and-RRSPs.pdf

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  For more information:

Alberta Director Paige MacPherson
office: 800-661-0187, email: [email protected]