Achi news desk-
Ontario Power Generation employs the five highest-paid public sector workers in the province, the annual salary disclosure list has revealed.
The database of all public employees in Ontario who earn more than $100,000 in a year, commonly referred to as the sunshine list, included more than 300,000 people for the first time in 2023.
In 2022, about 267,000 people earned more than $100,000.
Topping the latest list was Generation Power Ontario CEO Kenneth Hartwick, who took home just over $1.9 million in 2023, while Dominique Miniere, its chief strategy officer, earned $1.2 million.
Three other Ontario Power Generation executives made up the top five, with SickKids president and CEO Ronald Cohn the top-paid non-power employee at $851,414.
Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster kept a spot in the top 10, along with Ontario Health CEO Matt Anderson and Mark Fuller, head of the Ontario Public Service Pension Board.
The Sunshine List was first introduced in 1996, with the promise of making it easier for taxpayers to see where some of their money is being spent.
The legislation he introduced ordered every organization that receives public funds in the state to disclose the salary and taxable benefits of any employee paid more than $100,000 the previous year.
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The salaries and employees caught on the list range from highly paid CEOs with pay packages nearing the $1 million mark to teachers, firefighters and some transportation operators or mechanics. The annual list takes into account total compensation, including things like overtime pay.
According to the Bank of Canada’s inflation calculator, $100,000 from 1996 when the Sunshine List was launched is worth north of $175,000 in 2023 money.
Despite the dramatic change in the value of the six-figure salary, the province said it has no plans to change the terms of the list.
“We have no plans to update the threshold on the sunshine list, I think it is an important document that serves the people well in drawing attention to (public workers’) salaries,” said the Progressive House Leader of the Conservatives, Paul Calandra, on Thursday.
The Ontario NDP, the official opposition party at Queen’s Park, suggested they would not consider raising the list threshold either.
“I think people think $100,000 is still a lot of money, especially in an affordability crisis,” said NDP finance critic Catherine Fife.
Here are some highlights from the 2023 sunshine list.
The top 10 winners in the public sector
- Kenneth Hartwick (Ontario Power Generation) – $1,925,372.00
- Dominique Miniere (Ontario Power Generation) – $1,194,532.69
- Michael Martelli (Ontario Power Generation) – $972,746.99
- Nicolle Butcher (Ontario Power Generation) – $894,783.33
- Christopher Ginther (Ontario Power Generation) – $889,925.01
- Ronald Cohn (The Hospital for Sick Children) – $851,414.40
- Kevin Smith (University Health Network) – $844,992.49
- Phil Verster (Metrolinx) – $838,097.41
- Mark Fuller (Ontario Public Service Pension Board) – $826,539.30
- Matthew Anderson (Ontario Health) – $821,000.22
- Doug Ford (Progressive Conservative, Prime Minister) – $208,974.00
- Marit Stiles (Ontario NDP) – $174,950.20
- Bonnie Crombie (Ontario Liberals, Mayor of Mississauga) – $129,438.53
- Mike Schreiner (Ontario Greens) – $125,874.00
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
