The latest so-called “sunshine” list that shines a light on City of Burnaby salaries is out and it shows that the number of city staff making more than $75,000 is growing.
The provincial government mandates cities release of an annual statement of financial information – known as SOFI. The threshold for listing salaries is set at more than $75,000.
According to the list, published online by the city on Friday, a total of 901 city workers made more than $75,000 in 2020. That’s up from the 853 who made that amount in 2019 and the 811 in 2018.
Out of those 901 on the SOFI list, more than half – 460 – earned over $100,000 in pay.
Is this too many people making more than $100 large? Taxpayers often get angry about this list, begrudging how many people are making six figures.
I bring this up because of a letter I received from a local taxpayer who didn’t want their name used (frustrating because it’s tiring to have people write in without standing behind their criticisms).
“It’s a big gravy train to work for this city,” the person wrote. “I pay my taxes and it all goes to pay all these people a hundred grand a year? That’s too much.”
So, I’m writing this because the comment is a standard complaint about workers employed in government. Taxpayers hate every single penny a government employee makes, especially if there’s something they think is missing in their community.
They see a pothole and scream because someone makes $100,000 a year.
I sort of get it and wish I made this much money. Then again, is it a bad thing that the city pays a living wage to its workers? The sunshine list starts at $75,000 or higher and considering how expensive it is to live in Burnaby with high sale prices and skyrocketing rents, that’s not exactly a lot of money.
The list includes workers from a wide variety of jobs, from firefighters to department directors to inspectors to those who do communications work for the city and the RCMP.
Nine city employees earned over $200,000. Topping the list was Lambert Chu, who has now retired as Burnaby city manager. He earned $291,000.
Here are the others who earned more than $200,000:
- Fire Chief Chris Bowcock: $210,000
- Director of public safety Dave Critchley: $221,000
- Parks director Dave Ellenwood: $235,000
- Head of corporate services Dipak Dattani: $229,000
- Director of engineering Leon Gous: $230,000 (Gous has been named as CAO for Burnaby)
- Finance director Noreen Kassam: $232,000
- Planning director Ed Kozak: $231,000
- City solicitor May Leung: $207,000
By comparison, there were a total of 195 Burnaby School District employees listed on the 2019/20 SOFI who made more than $100,000.
So, sure, you look at these top-earning people and think it’s a lot, but most of these city workers are making far less. Maybe relax a bit about it.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
