Ontario released the annual ontario sunshine list on Friday morning, March 27, 2026 at 11: 21 AM ET, naming more than 400, 000 public sector employees who earned over $100, 000 in 2025. The list expanded by seven per cent from the year prior, with more than half of that growth driven by municipalities and with public service organizations such as school boards, hospitals and public boards of health making up a large share of entries. Officials pointed to retroactive payments, collective bargaining outcomes and an additional pay period as unique factors contributing to the salary increases in 2025.
Ontario Sunshine List: Top earners and overall numbers
The release shows more than 400, 000 people included on the roster of public sector employees earning at least $100, 000 in 2025, a seven per cent increase from the year before. Ontario Power Generation leaders dominated the top spots: Ontario Power Generation President Ken Hartwick is listed as the highest paid civil servant with earnings of $1, 907, 408 in 2025, followed by OPG CEO Nicolle Butcher at $1, 596, 218 and OPG Chief Nuclear Officer Steve Gregoris at $1, 092, 854. 84. In fact, the five highest paid civil servants in Ontario and seven of the top 10 in 2025 were employees of OPG.
The provincial release notes that more than 50 per cent of the growth in the list was driven by municipalities, and that more than 50 per cent of the list overall is comprised of public service organizations such as school boards, hospitals and public boards of health. Those organizations account in large part for entries tied to nurses and teachers on the roster.
Immediate reactions
Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board, said: “retroactive payments, collective bargaining outcomes and an additional pay period for multiple organizations were all unique factors contributing to salary increases in 2025. ” Her statement framed the year-over-year growth while highlighting the mechanics behind unusual upward movement in reported salaries.
Quick context
Ontario has been releasing names, positions and salaries of all public sector employees earning at least $100, 000 in the previous calendar year since 1996. The threshold has not been adjusted for inflation; a worker earning $100, 000 in 1996 would earn approximately $188, 000 today when inflation is taken into account.
What’s next
The ontario sunshine list will remain a focal point for scrutiny as long as the $100, 000 cutoff is unchanged and collective bargaining and retroactive settlements continue to affect payroll timing. Officials have pointed to specific payroll and bargaining drivers for the 2025 increase; observers and public-sector stakeholders will watch whether municipal entries and public service organizations continue to push totals higher in future releases.
Timestamp: March 27, 2026 at 11: 21 AM ET.
