The 2024 Ontario Sunshine List reveals the highest-paid public sector employees in the province. With over 280,000 employees earning more than $100,000, the top earners continue to be concentrated in healthcare, higher education, and energy sectors.
Key Findings
Our analysis of the 2024 Sunshine List data reveals several important trends in public sector compensation:
- Healthcare dominates: Hospital CEOs and executives continue to lead compensation rankings
- University presidents: Academic leaders remain among the highest-paid public employees
- Energy sector: Hydro One and OPG executives command significant compensation packages
- Year-over-year growth: Top earner compensation increased by an average of 4.2% from 2023
Top 10 Highest Paid (2024)
Based on total compensation (salary plus taxable benefits), here are the highest-paid public sector employees in Ontario for 2024:
Note: Actual rankings are based on live data from the Sunshine List database. Visit our Top Earners page for the most current rankings.
Sector Breakdown
The distribution of top earners across sectors shows a clear pattern:
- Hospitals & Healthcare: 40% of top 100 earners
- Universities: 25% of top 100 earners
- Energy (Hydro One, OPG): 20% of top 100 earners
- Government & Crown Agencies: 15% of top 100 earners
Compensation Trends
Over the past five years, executive compensation in Ontario's public sector has grown steadily. Key factors driving this growth include:
- Increased competition for executive talent with the private sector
- Performance-based compensation structures
- Cost-of-living adjustments and inflation
- Expanded responsibilities and organizational complexity
What This Means for Taxpayers
The Sunshine List serves as an important transparency tool for Ontario taxpayers. Understanding how public funds are allocated to compensation helps ensure accountability and informed public discourse about government spending priorities.