The Government of Ontario released its annual public sector salary disclosure on Friday. The 2025 Sunshine List reveals widespread wage increases driven by collective bargaining, inflation adjustments, and retroactive payouts across provincial institutions. Over 400,000 public employees earned more than $100,000 last year.
Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney explicitly attributed the inflated list to union negotiations and a rare extra pay period affecting multiple organizations. Frontline healthcare workers and teachers dominate the sheer volume of the list. Executive compensation at local hospitals and academic institutions reached new peaks, drawing intense scrutiny to the business of regional governance.
Waterloo Region and Guelph Top Earners
Marcela Carena Lopez claimed the top local spot. The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics Executive Director earned $650,000 in 2025. Ronald Gagnon followed closely in second place. The President and CEO of the recently rebranded Waterloo Region Health Network took home $640,357.27.
John Tibbits secured the third position locally with $601,684.32. The former Conestoga College president has faced severe public backlash over his compensation. His salary steadily climbed alongside a 1,579% increase in the school’s international student population between 2014 and 2022. Tibbits retired abruptly on January 14, 2026. His exit immediately followed a federal cap on international enrollment that triggered massive program cuts and layoffs at the college.
Ontario Power Generation CEO, former CEO top Sunshine List of highest public earners.https://t.co/FaVOA1yXA2
— Barrie 360 (@Barrie360) March 27, 2026
School Board and Municipal Leadership
jeewan chanicka remained on the top earners list despite his sudden exit. The former Waterloo Region District School Board director of education earned $276,999.98. chanicka left the board in December 2025 with no public explanation. Board officials stated his 2025 earnings likely reflect a salary continuance outlined in his personal service agreement.
Municipal leaders across the region also saw their 2025 earnings published. Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie earned $164,942.18. Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett made $126,764.15. Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe took home $121,282.29. Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic earned $116,309.29.
Provincial Salary Ceiling
Ontario Power Generation President Ken Hartwick retained his position as the highest-paid public employee in the entire province. Hartwick earned $1,907,408 in 2025. The energy executive routinely tops the statutory disclosure list.