For the first time, the annual Sunshine List of public employees making six-figures topped 300,000.

A record 300,572 people pulled in $100,000 or more; an increase of 33,669 from 2022.

 

 

”The largest year-over-year increases were in the hospitals, municipalities and services, and post-secondary sectors, which together represented approximately 80% of the growth on the list,” said Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney.

The top five are all executives at Ontario Power Generation, led by President and CEO Kenneth Hartwick at $1,925,372.

Also in the top 10, Ronald Cohn, President and CEO of the Hospital for Sick Children, who earned $851,414; University Health Network President and CEO Kevin Smith close behind at $844,992 and then Metrolinx President and CEO Phil Verster at $838,097.

There have been opposition calls for the Ford government to fire Verster over the ongoing delays to finish the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

Established in 1996 by former premier Mike Harris, it’s estimated that $100,000 then would be the equivalent of $175,370 last year.

Conversely, $100,000 in 2023 was equal to $57,020 in 1996.

The list came out as the government announced the minimum wage will rise to $17.20 an-hour October 1.

Once that happens the full-time, minimum wage would climb by $1,300 to $34,400.