Key moments
Ontario released its 2025 Sunshine List on Friday, revealing the highest salaries among public sector employees. Kenneth Hartwick topped the list with a salary of just over $1.9 million, followed closely by Nicolle Butcher, who earned nearly $1.6 million.
The Sunshine List, established under the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act in 1996, requires public sector organizations to disclose the names, positions, salaries, and taxable benefits of employees earning over $100,000 annually. This year, the list included a total of 404,922 public sector employees earning above this threshold, marking a significant increase.
Premier Doug Ford’s salary was reported at $269,567, an increase from $208,974 the previous year. Meanwhile, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow earned $240,349, up from $225,093 in 2024. The list also highlighted Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, who made $604,449, the highest salary for a police chief in Ontario.
According to the report, there were 30,075 employees on the Sunshine List making $185,000 or more. This growth was largely driven by municipalities, including local police and fire services, as noted by Caroline Mulroney, who stated, “Over 50 per cent of this year’s growth was driven by municipalities, which includes local police and fire services whose work continues to protect Ontario communities.”
Despite the increase in salaries, the salary threshold for the Sunshine List has remained unchanged since 1996. This has raised discussions about the buying power of salaries over the years. Notably, the buying power of $100,000 in 2025 is equivalent to about $53,104 in 1996, highlighting the economic shifts that have occurred.
Michael D’Agostino, an associate pathologist at Sault Area Hospital, earned $428,269, further emphasizing the diverse range of high salaries within the public sector. The Sunshine List continues to serve as a tool for transparency regarding public sector compensation.
As the list is released annually, it draws attention to the compensation of public servants and raises questions about fiscal responsibility and accountability in government spending. Dave Bulmer remarked on the original intent of the Sunshine List, stating, “[The Sunshine List’s] original intent was to capture those who were the senior most executives from the public sector earning salaries that are taxpayer supported.”
Details remain unconfirmed regarding any potential changes to the Sunshine List’s structure or the implications of these salary disclosures on public policy.
