Over 30,000 people have joined Ontario’s annual sunshine list detailing public sector employees with salaries over $100,000
Top earners included those in healthcare, municipal governments and post-secondary institutions.
Topping the list is Ken Hartwick, president and CEO of Ontario Power Generation, with an annual salary surpassing $1.9 million.
The top five earners are all executives from OPG.
As for the presidents and CEOs of the Hospital for Sick Children and University Health Network, Ronald Cohn and Kevin Smith – each earned salaries in the mid-$800,000 range.
This year, the sunshine list expanded to feature 300,570 names, marking a significant increase from last year when it was 266,948.
Meanwhile, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster made $838,097 in 2023. Ontario Pension Board president and CEO Mark Fuller pulled in $826,539.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford had the same salary as last year, when it was reported to be $208,974.
However, Ford’s chief of staff, Patrick Sackville, wound up with $324,000.
Ontari’s leader of the opposition, NDP Leader Marit Stiles, claimed a salary of $174,950.
Ontario Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore reported substantial earnings, to the tone of $464,148.
The Ontario government has faced questions on whether it plans on raising the earning threshold required by public servants to be included in the list, citing inflation.
The Sunshine List was introduced in 1996. An income of $100,000 for that year would be more than $180,000 in 2024 if inflation were included in the calculation. However, government house leader Paul Calandra shut down the idea.
“I think that it’s an important document that serves the people well in highlighting the salaries of public employees,” said Calandra.
Other high earners included Toronto’s city manager ($417,216), the Chief of Peel Region police ($423,050), and Toronto Transit Commission CEO Rick Leary ($562,325).
