2013 Ontario Public Sector Salaries Disclosed, Ontario Government Investing in Public Services
In keeping with the government’s commitment to transparency, the salaries and taxable benefits of Ontario Public Service (OPS) and broader public sector (BPS) employees who were paid $100,000 or more in 2013 were released today.
The average salary on the Public Sector Salary Disclosure list was $127,433 in 2013, a decline from $127,576 in 2012. The average salary on the list has decreased for four out of the last five years.
The government is maintaining its plans to further control costs. Earlier this week legislation was proposed that, if passed, would enhance oversight and increase transparency across government and the BPS. It would authorize the government to set remuneration frameworks for senior executives in the BPS, including hard caps and enforcement measures to ensure compliance.
The government has already frozen salaries for executives at hospitals, universities, colleges, school boards and provincially owned electricity companies. All aspects of compensation plans are currently frozen and base salaries cannot be increased.
As well, on March 20 the government introduced legislation that would, if passed, extend a freeze on MPP salaries until the Ontario Budget is balanced. As the government is committed to balancing the budget by 2017-18, no pay increase would take effect until April 1, 2019.
A measured and moderate approach to balancing the budget is part of the government’s economic plan that is creating jobs for today and tomorrow. The comprehensive plan and its six priorities focus on Ontario’s greatest strengths – its people and strategic partnerships.
Quick Facts
- The Public Sector Salary Disclosure is published annually and includes organizations that receive transfer payments from the province of at least $1 million or 10 per cent of their gross revenues, provided the transfer amount was $120,000 or more.
- The Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act applies to the provincial government, Crown agencies and corporations; Ontario Power Generation, Hydro One and their subsidiaries; and publicly funded organizations such as hospitals, municipalities, school boards, universities and colleges.
- The province also posts, on a separate website, the expense information for Cabinet Ministers, political staff, OPS senior management, appointees and senior executives at Ontario’s 22 largest agencies.
- The $100,000 threshold has remained the same since the Public Sector Salary Disclosure list was introduced in 1996. If the threshold had kept up with inflation (based on the consumer price index up to 2013), it would now be $141,705, meaning a fifth of the current disclosed list, or an estimated 19,300 employees would be reported.
- For the last two years, Ontario has held program expense growth to less than one per cent
Quotes
“Ontario has the leanest government in Canada while still providing high-quality public services. Last year, our government cut total spending and MPPs are leading the way by proposing to continue their salary freeze until the budget is balanced.”
Charles Sousa
Minister of Finance
Media Contacts
For Media Inquiries only
Susie Heath – Minister’s Office
susie.heath@ontario.ca
416-325-3645
For public inquiries call
1-800-337-7222 TTY: 1-800-263-7776
For Media Inquiries only
Scott Blodgett – Ministry of Finance
scott.blodgett@ontario.ca
416-325-0324
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