sunshine list

Ontario’s 2025 Sunshine List Reveals Top Public Sector Earners—And What It Says About Salaries in the Public Sector

Every year, as spring blooms across Ontario, so does one of the province’s most anticipated—and scrutinized—public documents: the Ontario Sunshine List. Released annually on or around March 31, this list names every public sector employee earning $100,000 or more in a given year. In 2025, the list hit headlines again, sparking conversations about transparency, compensation fairness, and the evolving cost of delivering essential services.

This year’s release shows not only who’s making six figures but also how public sector pay continues to rise—raising questions about accountability, fiscal responsibility, and public trust.

What Is the Sunshine List?

The Ontario Sunshine List is an official record mandated by provincial law since 1996. It includes all full-time employees in public sector organizations—including hospitals, universities, school boards, municipalities, crown agencies, and provincial ministries—who earned at least $100,000 in total remuneration (salary plus benefits) during the calendar year.

The goal? To promote government transparency by allowing citizens to see exactly how taxpayer dollars are being spent on salaries.

In 2025, more than 407,000 individuals made the cut—a seven per cent increase from the previous year. That’s nearly one in five public sector workers crossing the six-figure threshold.

Image caption: The number of public sector employees earning $100,000+ has steadily grown in recent years.

Top Earners of 2025: Who Took Home the Most?

As usual, the highest earners come from large institutions with complex operations—particularly Crown corporations like Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Metrolinx, and the University of Toronto.

Kenneth Hartwick, former President and CEO of OPG, topped the list once again with a total compensation package of $1.28 million—nearly double what he received in 2024. His role overseeing one of North America’s largest clean energy generators places him among the most powerful—and highest-paid—public officials in Canada.

Close behind was Dr. Michael Guerriere, Chief Executive Officer of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, who earned $1.15 million. Guerriere leads a sprawling academic health network that includes emergency care, cancer research, and trauma services—all funded largely through public dollars.

Other notable names include:

• John M. Milloy, former head of the Ontario College of Art and Design University, who received $1.02 million.
• Metrolinx President and CEO—reportedly earning over $800,000—reflecting the massive infrastructure investments underway in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Several senior administrators at major hospitals across Ottawa, Hamilton, and London also ranked high, underscoring the growing administrative layer within healthcare delivery.

These figures have drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters argue that top executives must be compensated competitively to attract leadership talent capable of managing billion-dollar budgets and complex regulatory environments. Critics, however, question whether such sums align with broader public expectations around fiscal restraint.

Municipalities Follow Suit: Belleville and Beyond

While provincial data dominates headlines, municipal governments are also feeling pressure to expand services—and their wallets.

Take Belleville, for example. In 2025, the city reported paying $32.2 million to 229 municipal employees on its local Sunshine List. That’s up from $28.9 million in 2024—an increase of $3.32 million, or 11.48%.

To meet rising demand for housing, transit, and social services, Belleville added 14 new employees earning $100,000+. Many of these roles are in planning, engineering, and IT—fields critical for modern urban governance but often underfunded at the municipal level.

Similarly, Prince Edward County released its own list in early April 2025, revealing 92 employees above the threshold—up from 62 the prior year. While smaller in scale, the trend mirrors what’s happening province-wide: as cities grow, so do their payrolls.

Image caption: Municipal governments like Belleville are expanding service capacity—and their salary expenditures—to meet community needs.

Why Does This Matter? Understanding the Bigger Picture

At first glance, seeing names and numbers might seem dry. But the Sunshine List tells a story about power, priorities, and policy choices that affect every Ontarian.

Transparency vs. Trust

The list emerged from a wave of public concern in the mid-1990s over “wasteful” spending and lack of accountability. Today, it’s become a cornerstone of civic engagement—used by journalists, unions, researchers, and advocacy groups to hold institutions accountable.

But transparency doesn’t automatically equal trust. When average Ontarians struggle with rising taxes or wait times for surgeries, high executive pay can fuel skepticism about whether public funds are being used wisely.

A 2025 poll conducted by Leger found that 68% of Ontarians believe public sector salaries should be capped at $300,000, regardless of performance metrics or market benchmarks. Yet many of the top earners still far exceed that figure.

Rising Costs, Growing Demands

Ontario’s public sector has expanded significantly over the past decade. Healthcare alone accounts for nearly half of all public spending. With an aging population and increased mental health needs, hospitals are hiring more administrators, specialists, and support staff—often at premium salaries to fill hard-to-staff positions.

Meanwhile, Crown corporations like OPG face intense scrutiny over green energy transitions and grid reliability. Leaders must navigate technical challenges, environmental regulations, and political pressures—tasks that justify significant compensation, according to institutional defenders.

Yet critics point out that inflation-adjusted wages haven’t kept pace with private-sector gains in tech or finance, even as public sector workloads have ballooned.

Recent Developments: 2025 Release Timeline

Here’s a quick look at key moments leading up to and following the 2025 Sunshine List release:

Notably, the CBC report highlighted that while total compensation for top earners rose modestly, bonuses and severance packages accounted for a growing share—prompting calls for stricter disclosure rules.

Historical Context: How We Got Here

The Sunshine List wasn’t always mandatory. Before 1996, public sector salaries were shrouded in secrecy. A scandal involving excessive severance payments to senior bureaucrats prompted reforms, leading to the creation of the list as part of Ontario’s Access to Information Act amendments.

Over time, the list evolved from a symbolic gesture into a powerful tool for comparative analysis. Researchers now track trends by sector, gender, and region. Unions use it to negotiate better pay equity. Journalists expose discrepancies between promised performance and actual outcomes.

Yet despite decades of scrutiny, there’s no cap on individual earnings—leaving room for debate over what constitutes “fair” compensation.

Immediate Effects: Reactions Across the Province

The 2025 list triggered swift reactions:

• Healthcare unions defended high administrative salaries, citing burnout and recruitment crises. “We can’t attract experienced leaders without competitive pay,” said Bonnie Lysyk, former Auditor General of Ontario, in a Globe and Mail interview.

• Opposition leaders accused the government of “fiscal recklessness.” Progressive Conservative MPP Randy Hillier called for a moratorium on raises above $300,000.

• Municipal associations warned that unfunded mandates are forcing cities to raise taxes just to maintain staffing levels.

• Academic researchers noted that while some high earners are clearly justified, others appear disproportionate. “There’s little correlation between pay and measurable outcomes,” said Dr. Sarah Tanguay of