THE North Shore's four MLAs racked up slightly more than $81,000 in travel expenses during nine months of conducting government business last year.
That amount includes travel and meal costs paid to them for work in Victoria, within their constituencies and further afield. It also includes expense amounts paid to North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Naomi Yamamoto and West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan for ministerial work.
The report detailing expenses for the province's 85 MLAs during the period April to December 2012 was released Thursday. It showed they spent a collective total of almost $2.3 million on expenses over the nine-month period, including expenses for travel, accommodation and meals while carrying out their duties. That doesn't include expenses of about $194,800 spent by MLAs during work on parliamentary committees.
Among the North Shore MLAs, North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Jane Thornthwaite and West Vancouver-Sea to Sky Country MLA Joan McIntyre had the highest expenses - of just over $22,000 and just under $21,000 respectively.
Thornthwaite was paid almost $2,700 for accommodation and just over $2,200 for meals while in Victoria.
MLAs who come from outside the capital are paid an amount for living expenses while in Victoria, including $61 per day for meals, for which no receipts are required.
Thornthwaite also spent $2,400 on travel expenses within her constituency, and $12,600 on general travel expenses. She also spent $1,960 on a trip for someone else. MLAs are allowed to designate 12 trips a year for another person, usually a family member, to accompany them on travel.
McIntyre, who owns a home in Victoria, was paid $8,000 towards living costs in the capital plus over $2,700 on "per diem" meal expenses. She also spent $4,740 on travel within her constituency, which extends up to Whistler, and $5,270 on general travel.
Sultan, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano - who also owns property in Victoria - spent just over $15,000 on expenses, including $5,000 on Victoria accommodation, $1,580 on meal costs, $2,400 on travel within his constituency and $4,610 on general trips, as well as one $1,487 trip for an accompanying person. Sultan also spent just over $1,100 in expenses as minister responsible for seniors.
Yamamoto's MLA travel expenses were just over $4,800, including just under $2,400 for travel expenses within her constituency and $1,674 for four trips for an accompanying traveller.
As minister of advanced education, Yamamoto's expenses were $15,350 between April and September of last year. She also spent $1,750 in October and November in her role as minister of state for small business.
The report on MLAs' expenses comes after Auditor General John Doyle blasted the Speaker's office of the legislature last year about lack of receipts for many expenses.
