The Council of Delegates of the Christian Reformed Church decided to raise the salary scale of Canadian denominational employees by 1.5 percent. (The Council acts on behalf of synod, the CRC’s annual leadership meeting.)
The issue of pay for Canadian employees was first raised at the Council’s October 2018 meeting when there was a spirited discussion about why employees north of the border are paid differently than their American counterparts, especially considering that the cost of living near Burlington, Ont. (the Canadian CRC’s main office) is so much higher than Grand Rapids, Mich. (the U.S. main office). (See Are Canadian CRC Employees Paid Enough?)
At that time, the Council voted not to change the Canadian scale, though some Canadians registered negative votes.
However, following that meeting, the executive committee took up the matter again. After digging deeper into the data, it recommended raising the target salary levels for the Canadian pay system by 1.5 percent. The Council agreed.
Delegate Chris DeWinter, Niagara, thanked the executive committee for taking up the discussion again and wondered if the 1.5 percent increase is equitable. Terry Veldboom, CRCNA controller in Canada, said it is definitely a step forward, noting that the two separate pay scales are based on very different situations. “It will help alleviate some difference between the two. It’s really how it relates to local salaries.”
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
