High-Paid Public Executives Must Prove Their Worth—Not Just Cash In

Each year, Ontario’s Sunshine List makes headlines, revealing the salaries of public sector employees earning over $100,000. But while the list draws attention, it often misses the real question: are these salaries earned?

Top public executives, Presidents, CEOs, Directors, and other senior leaders, are often paid like private sector heavyweights, with some pulling in $400K, $500K or more. In some cases, these salaries may be warranted. But when these positions are funded with taxpayer dollars, there must be a clear link between pay and performance.

Beyond the Pay Stub: Where’s the Scorecard?

It’s time we stop measuring public leadership performance solely by the size of their paycheck. Transparency shouldn't stop at salary disclosure. We need public-facing performance scorecards that evaluate the impact these leaders have on their organizations and, by extension, the public they serve.

These scorecards should assess:

Financial management: Are tax dollars being spent responsibly?

Operational effectiveness: Are services improving year over year?

Strategic outcomes: Are long-term investments making life better or more affordable for citizens?

Crisis response and transformation: Is the organization turning around under strong leadership?

Give leaders up to three years to earn an “A” rating, or at minimum, improve by one full letter grade per year if starting in poor condition. If they fail, it's time to reconsider their position.

Accountability Makes Paychecks Make Sense

This approach isn’t about cutting salaries, it's about making them make sense.

If the CEO of a major hospital in the GTA earns $500K but the hospital is excelling in patient care, operating efficiently, and meeting targets? That’s a win. But if the same hospital is hemorrhaging money, laying off frontline staff, or failing patients and leadership just approved a 5% pay bump? That’s a failure of oversight.

The same logic applies to organizations like Ontario Power Generation. If top execs are taking home large salaries, are they also investing wisely in infrastructure, driving innovation, and reducing costs for Ontarians? If not, what exactly are we paying for?

Taxpayers Deserve More Than a List

The public has a right to know more than who’s earning six figures, they deserve to know what those figures are delivering in return. A well-paid leader who delivers transformation, stability, and measurable improvement is an asset. But one who presides over stagnation or decline, all while enjoying unchecked compensation, is a liability.

Scorecards won’t just improve accountability, they’ll validate the public’s trust. Because in a publicly funded system, the highest-paid leaders should also be the most accountable.