Ontario releases its annual Sunshine List of top public sector salaries
Premier Kathleen Wynne says residents have a 'right to know' what public servants are earning
The Ontario government has published its annual "Sunshine" list of public sector employees who earned more than $100,000 last year.
Ontario Power Generation executives, a pair of hospital CEOs, and a university president are among the highest paid people on the list.
At the top is Ontario Power Generation CEO Jeffrey Lyash, paid $1,554,456.95 last year.
Other salaries in the top 10 include:
- Bruce Campbell, president and CEO of Independent Electricity System Operator, paid $749,862.59.
- Mark Fuller, president and CEO of the Ontario Public Service Pension Board, paid $745,211.84.
- Scott Martin, senior vice-president business and administration services of Ontario Power Generation, paid $739,854.78.
- William Reichman, president and CEO of Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, paid $722,875.00.
The only woman in the top 10 — Jill Pepall, executive vice president and chief executive officer of Ontario Public Service Pension Board — earned $721,224.22 last year.
Two hospital executives are also in the top 10: Michael Apkon, president and CEO of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, paid $719,694.40, and Peter Pisters, president and CEO of the University Health Network, paid $718,300.56.
There are 131,741 workers on the list, an increase from 123,410 last year, earning salaries and benefits that total over $16.8 billion.
Premier says $100K still a lot to 'vast majority'
"Let me just say that we are committed to transparency. We think the people in the province have a right to know what folks are earning," Wynne told reporters at a news conference in Toronto.
All agencies that receive public funding from the province must disclose the names, positions and salaries of each employee paid $100,000 or more in a calendar year.
Wynne said $100,000 is still a significant amount of money to the "vast majority" of Ontario residents.
Threshold would be $151K in today's dollars
According to provincial legislation, the disclosure requirement applies to municipalities, school boards, hospitals, universities, colleges, and many charities, in addition to the Ontario public service.
The $100,000 figure represents total pay — salary plus any bonuses or overtime — but not benefits. Taxable benefits are reported on a separate line.
The $100,000 salary threshold for disclosure has not changed since the legislation came into force in 1996, and has not been adjusted to keep up with inflation.
The government says if the salary threshold was adjusted for inflation, it would be $151,929 in today's dollars, reducing the number of employees included in the list by 85 per cent.
With files from The Canadian Press