WELLINGTON COUNTY – The number of local municipal employees paid over $100,000 per year went up by 38 per cent last year.
Their salaries, and those of all Ontario public sector employees making at least $100,000, are published by the province as part of the Public Sector Salary Disclosure List, more commonly know as the “Sunshine List.”
The 2024 list was published on March 28 and featured nearly 400,000 names.
Once again, the top public sector earner in the area was Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health’s Medical Officer of Health and CEO Dr. Nicola Mercer, at over $350,000.
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Municipal employees
The County of Wellington and its lower tier municipalities paid 231 staffers over $100,000 in 2024, an increase of 38% from 2023 (168 people) and 79% since 2022 (129).
CAO Scott Wilson was once again the county’s highest paid employee, with a salary of $309,163, a 4% jump from $297,107 in 2023.
Centre Wellington paid 41 staffers over $100,000 in 2024, up from 27 in 2023. The township’s highest paid employee was CAO Dan Wilson with a salary of $231,380 in 2024.
Nine Town of Erin staff members made the list, with the highest paid employee being CAO Rob Adams, who was paid $170,742 in 2024.
Mapleton and Wellington North also paid nine staffers over $100,000 with the highest paid employees being CAO Manny Baron in Mapleton at $194,974 and CAO Brooke Lambert in Wellington North at $176,288.
In Guelph/Eramosa 10 employees were paid over $100,000, with CAO Ian Roger receiving the most, at $213,190.
Minto paid 13 people over 100,000 in 2024, all with salaries under $170,000.
Six Puslinch employees made the list, an increase of two since 2023 .
Health care
The number of North Wellington Health Care (NWHC) employees on the list decreased from 50 in 2023 to 40 in 2024. NWHC operates the Palmerston and District Hospital and Louise Marshall Hospital in Mount Forest.
The salaries listed range from $101,407 to $165,189 for registered nurse clinical resource lead Michelle Goetz.
Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Centre Wellington has 61 employees listed, five more than 2023. Topping the Groves list is president and CEO Angela Stanley, who earned a salary of $237,955.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health has 35 employees listed, with salaries ranging from $100,220 to $350,778 for Mercer.
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has 19 staffers on the list, one more than in 2023. Salaries ranged from $100,049 to $238,222.
Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services (GWPS) employees are officially employed by the City of Guelph, but the area they serve includes Wellington County. The list includes 124 GWPS employees, up from 102 in 2023.
The highest paid GWPS employee was general manager and chief Stephan Dewar, with a salary of $201,987 – up from $195,586 in 2023.
Education
At the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), 2,029 employees made the Sunshine List in 2024, over 40% more than in 2023. Four UGDSB employees’ salaries surpassed $200,000 – one less than last year:
– director of education Peter Sovran, who made $275,741;
– superintendent of People Leadership and Culture Deirdre Pyke at $255,583;
– associate director Brent McDonald, who was paid $224,348;
– and superintendent of education Belal Taha, who made $203,687.
At the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB), 463 employees earned over $100,000 in 2024, up from 146 in 2023.
Of these employees, only one was paid over $200,000 – director of education Michael Glazier was paid $227,643.
Conservation
The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has 37 employees on the 2024 Sunshine List, eight more than in 2023. GRCA CAO Samantha Lawson’s salary was $208,902 in 2024 – up from $198,263 in 2023 and $186,314 in 2022. Other salaries ranged from $100,182 to $174,997.
At Credit Valley Conservation, 54 employees are listed, up from 45 in 2023. The top salary in 2024 belonged to CAO John Hanchard, at $209,766.
Policing
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) employees make up 5,825 of the names on the 2024 Sunshine List, up from 5,329 in 2023.
Of these, 107 bring home salaries that exceed $200,000.
The highest salary goes to physician Andrew Reed, who made $397,276 in 2024. OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique brought home the second largest sum of $365,187.
Without knowing the name of every Wellington County OPP employee, it is next to impossible to discern how many are on the list.
Wellington OPP detachment commander Steve Thomas was paid $177,123 in 2024.
Members of Parliament
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP and Legislative Assembly speaker Ted Arnott was paid $152,914 in 2024 – the same total since 2000.
Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae brought home $133,217 – the same as 2023.
Premier Doug Ford made $208,974 – the same pay since 2020.
Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong and Perth-Wellington MP John Nater are not included in the provincial Sunshine List because they are federal employees. MPs are paid about $203,000 annually though members can be paid more for additional roles.
Social services
Three employees at Community Living Guelph Wellington made between $108,272 and $156,889 in 2024, one less than 2023.
The Children’s Aid Society of the City of Guelph and the County of Wellington has 18 employees on the Sunshine List, all with salaries between $100,000 and $198,000.
To read the complete 2024 Sunshine List, visit ontario.ca/public-sector-salary-disclosure/2024.
