A lot of familiar faces sit atop the list of the top-paid local public service workers for 2020, including University of Guelph past-president and vice-chancellor Franco Vaccarino who received nearly $470,000.
Known as the Sunshine List, the province annually releases details about public sector workers who are paid $100,000 or more the previous year. The complete searchable list can be found here.
Vaccarino was paid $469,069 last year and received $14,528 in taxable benefits. He also held the top spot for 2019, when his salary sat at $423,648.
Up next for 2020 was Marianne Walker, president and CEO of Guelph General Hospital, who was paid $343,865 along with $1,255 in taxable benefits. A year prior she received $331,130 in pay, putting her second on the local list last time as well.
Other top-paid public service employees in the city for 2020 include:
- Charlotte Yates, president and vice-chancellor at the University of Guelph at $342,874 with $3,588 in taxable benefits
- David Wormald, president of St. Joseph’s Health Care Centre Guelph at $324,553 with $11,315 in taxable benefits
- Dr. Truong Nguyen, pathologist at Guelph General Hospital at $321,063 with no taxable benefits
- Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health at $307,892 with $656 in taxable benefits
- Norman O’Reilly, professor and director at the University of Guelph at 295,795 with $1,209 in taxable benefits
- Paul Herbert, University of Guelph professor, director and Canada Research chair at $293,797 with no taxable benefits
- Julie Renaud, physician with Guelph Community Health Team at $290,347 and no taxable benefits
There were 190 members of Guelph Police Service whose income passed the threshold, up from 179 in 2019. That’s 55.7 per cent of the department, notes a report to the police services board.
Reasons for the six per cent jump include increased overtime and premium play due to workplace leaves and COVID-19 related absenteeism; overtime bank payouts; sick leave payouts upon termination or promotion; special duties; retro-active pay resulting from collective agreements; and an additional pay period in 2020.
Topping the police list of high-income recipients is Chief Gordon Colby at $240,160, along with $4,946 in taxable benefits, followed by former Deputy Chief Paul Martin at $210,803 and $963 in taxable benefits.
