Governor General Mary Simon has received a $15,200 pay raise for 2025, bringing her annual salary to $378,000. This marks her fourth increase since taking office in 2021, amounting to a total salary boost of $49,300 over her tenure.
Critics, including the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), are questioning the necessity of these pay hikes.
“Can anyone in government explain how Canadians are getting more value from the governor general, because her taxpayer-funded salary just increased by more than $1,200 a month?” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director.
“The automatic-pay-raise culture in Ottawa is ridiculous and politicians and bureaucrats shouldn’t expect more money every year just because they’re on the taxpayer payroll.”
The CTF confirmed the salary increase with the Privy Council Office (PCO), which stated, “For 2025, the Governor General’s salary, which is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Governor General’s Act … is $378,000.”
Since 2019, the federal government has increased the governor general’s salary by $75,200 — a 25% jump. In contrast, the average annual salary of full-time workers in Canada was approximately $70,000 in 2024, according to Statistics Canada.
“Canadians can’t afford to keep paying more for a largely symbolic role,” said Terrazzano. “The governor general already takes a huge taxpayer-funded salary and she should show leadership by refusing this year’s pay hike.”
Beyond her salary, the governor general receives extensive taxpayer-funded perks, including a mansion, a clothing budget, paid dry-cleaning services, and a platinum pension. Former governors general receive a pension of approximately $150,000 per year for life, regardless of how long they served in office.
For example, Simon’s predecessor, Julie Payette, served for just over three years but stands to collect an estimated $4.8 million if she lives to 90.
Canada’s five former governors general could receive more than $18 million collectively under similar projections. Even after leaving office, former governors general can expense taxpayers up to $206,000 annually for the rest of their lives, plus six months beyond their deaths.
Additional expenses have also raised concerns. In May 2023, the National Post reported that governors general could expense up to $130,000 in clothing over a five-year term.
Simon and Payette have combined to expense $88,000 in clothing since 2017, with purchases including a velvet dress with silk lining, designer gloves, suits, shoes, and scarves. Rideau Hall also expensed $117,000 in dry-cleaning services since 2018, averaging over $1,800 per month, despite having in-house staff responsible for laundry.
Simon’s travel spending has drawn scrutiny as well. In her first full year as governor general in 2022, she spent $2.7 million on travel. This included a controversial $100,000 in-flight catering bill during a weeklong trip to the Middle East and a $71,000 bill with IceLimo Luxury Travel during a four-day visit to Iceland.
“Platinum pay and perks for the governor general should have been reined in a long time ago,” Terrazzano said.
“The government should stop rubberstamping pay raises for the governor general every year, end the expense account for former governors general, reform the platinum pension, scrap the clothing allowance and cut all international travel except for meetings with the monarchy.”
