The County of Brant rostered 97 people on the 2023 Sunshine List, an increase of six from the previous year.
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Positions within Brant-Brantford Paramedic Services occupy much of the list with 57 employees earning more than $100,000.
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“The advanced care paramedic base salary is over the $100,000 threshold,” said Suzie Keczan, director of communications and public relations for the County of Brant. “For primary care paramedics, overtime would elevate their salaries over the $100,000.”
A total of 13 primary care paramedics earned $109,601 in 2023, according to the Ontario Sunshine List.
Others from the paramedic service on the list include Russell King, paramedic chief ($158,127); Tim Nykamp, paramedic superintendent – primary ($151,048); Archie Castro, paramedic superintendent ($147,737); and Glen Cunnane, deputy chief of community paramedicine ($145,026).
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“The Brant-Brantford Paramedic Service is a shared service for the county and the city, where the county is the delivery agent for ambulance services,” Keczan explained. “The county and the city have a governance agreement in place which contributes costs for the services. Costs are proportioned based on population.”
Top earners among other county staff include Alison Newton, CAO ($188,096); Robert Walton, general manager operations ($175,477); Jyoti Zuidema, solicitor and corporate counsel ($171,757); Cindy Stevenson, general manager of emergency and protective services ($171,757); Pam Duesling, general manager, development services ($165,717); Heather Boyd, general manager corporate services ($153,046); and Kelly Bernstein, CEO Brant Public Library ($145,634).
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Former Fire Chief Geoff Hayman earned $167,349 in 2023 even though Darren Watson began as the county’s acting fire chief on July 1, 2022. Watson is listed as having earned $135,374 last year.
“This issue concerns a confidential employee relations matter involving Mr. Hayman and our organization. We regret that we are unable to provide any details or comments,” Keczan stated.
The total salary the County of Brant paid to those on the 2023 Sunshine List amounts to $11,743,389 with an average salary of $121,066.
The Sunshine List was created in 1996 as a result of Ontario’s Public Sector Disclosure Act.
Designed to ensure accountability to taxpayers, the list shows public sector employees earning an annual salary in excess of $100,000.
There were 4,576 names on the Sunshine List when it was created 28 years ago.
Today there are 300,570 on the list, more than 30,000 higher than last year.
Some consider the $100,000 threshold to be outdated, considering in today’s money it’s worth about $175,000.
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