As of the most recent disclosures released in March 2025, the answer is clear.
Kenneth Hartwick, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), is the highest paid public employee in Canada. According to the latest data, he earned $2,018,436 in 2024. This continues a long-running pattern where OPG’s top executive consistently sits at the very top of public-sector compensation rankings.
This isn’t an outlier year, either. When you look across provinces, executives from Ontario Power Generation and other provincial Crown corporations dominate the highest-paid positions in Canada’s public sector. Energy trading, nuclear operations, and large-scale infrastructure management tend to drive the largest salaries.
The broader top tier includes senior leaders at Powerex and BC Hydro, major hospital CEOs, transit executives, and investment managers overseeing public endowments. In contrast, elected officials earn far less. The Prime Minister of Canada earns about $406,200, Ontario Premier Doug Ford earned $209,974 in 2024, and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow earned $225,093.
The data makes one thing clear: in Canada, the highest public-sector pay is concentrated in Crown corporations, healthcare administration, and public investment management, not politics.
Top Earners in the Canadian Public Sector (2024 Earnings)
| Rank | Name | Title | Organization | 2024 Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenneth Hartwick | President & CEO | Ontario Power Generation | $2,018,436 |
| 2 | M. Holman | Managing Director, Trading | Powerex / BC Hydro | $1,403,479 |
| 3 | R.M. Campbell | Managing Director, Trading | Powerex / BC Hydro | $1,392,211 |
| 4 | T.M. Bechard | President & CEO | Powerex / BC Hydro | $1,391,355 |
| 5 | Dawn Jia | President & CEO | UBC Investment Management | $1,083,574 |
| 6 | Nicolle Butcher | Chief Operations Officer | Ontario Power Generation | $979,739 |
| 7 | Kevin Smith | President & CEO | University Health Network | $977,024 |
| 8 | Steve Gregoris | Chief Nuclear Officer | Ontario Power Generation | $922,902 |
| 9 | Phil Verster | President & CEO | Metrolinx | $897,817 |
| 10 | Ronald Cohn | President & CEO | Hospital for Sick Children | $887,710 |
Comparison With Political Leaders (2024)
| Role | Name | 2024 Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister of Canada | Justin Trudeau | ~$406,200 |
| Premier of Ontario | Doug Ford | $209,974 |
| Mayor of Toronto | Olivia Chow | $225,093 |
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