More than 400,000 people have been included on this year’s “Sunshine List,” representing a seven per cent increase in the size of the list from one year prior.
Ontario released its list of all public sector employees who earned more than $100,000 in 2025 on Friday morning.
Ontario Power Generation President Ken Hartwick was once again the highest paid Ontario civil servant, bringing in $1,907,408 in 2025. OPG CEO Nicolle Butcher was second on the list earning a salary of $1,596,218 in 2025 while OPG Chief Nuclear Officer Steve Gregoris was third ($1,092,854.84).
In fact, the five highest paid civil servants in Ontario and seven of the top 10 last year were all employees of OPG.
The seven per cent jump in the size of the list comes after a 25 per cent increase in 2024.
In a statement, President of the Treasury Board Caroline Mulroney said that “retroactive payments, collective bargaining outcomes and an additional pay period for multiple organizations were all unique factors contributing to salary increases in 2025″ and that more than 50 per cent of the growth in the list was “driven by municipalities.”
Ken Hartwick Ken Hartwick is shown in this undated photo (LinkedIn)
Mulroney also pointed out that more than 50 per cent of list is “comprised of public service organizations like school boards, hospitals and public boards of health, which in large part is comprised of nurses and teachers.”
Ontario has been releasing the names, positions and salaries of all public sector employees earning at least $100,000 in the previous calendar year since 1996.
The cutoff has not been adjusted for inflation. A worker earning $100,000 in 1996 would earn approximately $188,000 today when inflation is taken into account.
Other names on the list:
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford – $269,567
- Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow – $240,349
- Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw – $445,366
- University Health Network President and CEO Kevin Smith – $939,603
- Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay – $327,439
- Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah – $604,449
- Opposition Leader Marit Stiles – $233,334
- University of Toronto President Melanie Woodin – $440,866
- Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca – $218,544
- Hospital for Sick Children President and CEO Ronald Cohn – $880,013
- Hamilton Health Sciences President and CEO Tracey MacArthur – $773,658
Myron Demkiw Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw speaks to media during a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
