Averaged $127,433 in 2013
The average salary for Ontario public service workers on the "sunshine list" in 2013 was $127,433, down from $127,576 in 2012, according to the provincial government in releasing its annual list of employees who are paid $100,000 or more.
The average salary on the list has decreased for four out of the last five years.
The $100,000 threshold has remained the same since the 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 one-fifth of the current disclosed list, or an estimated 19,300 employees would be reported, said the government.
The Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act applies to the provincial government, Crown agencies and corporations; Ontario Power Generation, Hydro One and its subsidiaries; and publicly funded organizations such as hospitals, municipalities, school boards, universities and colleges.
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.
