Sunshine List: how much Rob Ford, Paul Godfrey and Chris Spence earned in 2012
Each year, Queen’s Park releases the sunshine list, a catalogue of all the Ontario public servants who made $100,000 or more—and, because the $100,000 threshold hasn’t changed since the list’s inception in 1996, that exalted group now contains nearly 88,412 members. (Were the benchmark tied to inflation, it would now be over $139,000, cutting the list to about 18,000 people.) Since most people have better things to do this long weekend than sift through tens of thousands of names, we put together this cheat sheet of 2012’s most high-profile recipients of public largesse.
1. The top earner
Once again, Ontario Power Generation CEO Thomas Mitchell was the highest paid provincial employee. However, the head of the electricity utility’s salary (plus taxable benefits) ticked down to a mere $1,726,768 compared to last year’s $1,824,000. The power sector also netted second place, with Hydro One CEO Laura Formusa earning $1,039,302.
2. The political set
Dalton McGuinty remained premier long enough to earn $209,272, while Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak made $181,145 and the NDP’s Andrea Horwath earned $158,383.
3. The councillors
The one thing every member of Toronto’s city council has in common: for the first time, each earned $103,243 last year.
4. The Ford camp
Rob Ford’s salary for 2012 was $173,869 (which should cover the legal fees for maybe one of the mayor’s legal battles). Current chief of staff (and our favourite “evil guy”) Mark Towhey made $151,342, while former chief of staff Amir Remtulla, who quit in July for reasons that are still not totally clear, earned $131,007.
5. The casino execs
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation CEO Rod Phillips earned $673,710 in 2012, the year that saw Toronto’s great casino debate dominate the headlines. Paul Godfrey (a.k.a. the casino’s biggest cheerleader) made $146,298 for his role as chair of the board.
6. The TTC
Nearly 1,400 TTC employees made more than $100,000, ranging from lowly collectors to CEO Andy Byford, who took home $308,601.
7. The humiliated
Disgraced TDSB head Chris Spence earned $270,977 before his blatant plagiarism caught up with him.
8. The television personality
Beloved TVO anchor Steve Paikin made $307,539, just under $8,000 more than in 2011.
(Images: Rob Ford, Christopher Drost; Bills, Brian nairB and Lauren Siegert)
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/sunshine-list-2012/&title=Sunshine List: how much Rob Ford, Paul Godfrey and Chris Spence earned in 2012&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/rob-ford-money.jpeg&description=[caption id="attachment_201554" align="alignright" width="224"] Rob Ford earned $173,869 including taxable benefits in 2012[/caption]
Each year, Queen’s Park releases the sunshine list, a catalogue of all the Ontario public servants who made $100,000 or more—and, because the $100,000 threshold hasn’t changed since the list’s inception in 1996, that exalted group now contains nearly 88,412 members. (Were the benchmark tied to inflation, it would now be over $139,000, cutting the list to about 18,000 people.) Since most people have better things to do this long weekend than sift through tens of thousands of names, we put together this cheat sheet of 2012’s most high-profile recipients of public largesse.
1. The top earner
Once again, Ontario Power Generation CEO Thomas Mitchell was the highest paid provincial employee. However, the head of the electricity utility’s salary (plus taxable benefits) ticked down to a mere $1,726,768 compared to last year’s $1,824,000. The power sector also netted second place, with Hydro One CEO Laura Formusa earning $1,039,302.
2. The political set
Dalton McGuinty remained premier long enough to earn $209,272, while Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak made $181,145 and the NDP’s Andrea Horwath earned $158,383.
3. The councillors
The one thing every member of Toronto’s city council has in common: for the first time, each earned $103,243 last year.
4. The Ford camp
Rob Ford’s salary for 2012 was $173,869 (which should cover the legal fees for maybe one of the mayor’s legal battles). Current chief of staff (and our favourite “evil guy”) Mark Towhey made $151,342, while former chief of staff Amir Remtulla, who quit in July for reasons that are still not totally clear, earned $131,007.
5. The casino execs
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation CEO Rod Phillips earned $673,710 in 2012, the year that saw Toronto’s great casino debate dominate the headlines. Paul Godfrey (a.k.a. the casino’s biggest cheerleader) made $146,298 for his role as chair of the board.
6. The TTC
Nearly 1,400 TTC employees made more than $100,000, ranging from lowly collectors to CEO Andy Byford, who took home $308,601.
7. The humiliated
Disgraced TDSB head Chris Spence earned $270,977 before his blatant plagiarism caught up with him.
8. The television personality
Beloved TVO anchor Steve Paikin made $307,539, just under $8,000 more than in 2011.
(Images: Rob Ford, Christopher Drost; Bills, Brian nairB and Lauren Siegert)){kind=link}
For the actual mayoralty work and the quality of the work that Rob Ford does, I think he’s overpaid!
It’s the stupid Toronto suburban voters who believe Rob Ford’s phoney act of pretending to be the everyday Joe when he was born into money and privilege, and makes loads of money off taxpayer dollar doing a part time job while coaching football.
Using the inflation calculator at http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/related/inflation-calculator/ that $100,000 in 1996 would work out to be $16,004.54 in 1954, when Metro Toronto was born.
Most of us would be on that list if the threshold is not adjusted for inflation in the coming years.
What I don’t get is why do you guys use Rob Ford’s Picture with 1000 dollar bills ,when you have disgraced liberals making double the money than the mayor and Liberal BUDDY appointments raking in millions for playing golf .What a waste of my time this article is!!I am sorry I clicked on Toronto Life, bunch of unethical retards you are.