Critic cries foul over ICBC’s executive’s salaries

The NDP says ICBC’s senior managers have seen major pay increases over the past few years, while the front-line staff that serves the public has been reduced.

In the past 15 years ICBC’s basic insurance rate has only gone down once, but several senior executive’s salaries have gone up.

“The pay freeze is probably the most embarrassing part of this for ICBC. When you say you freeze pay at2012 levels, the numbers should be the same as 2012 levels. Instead, virtually every executive got a raise since then. If that’s what a pay freeze is, sign me up,” says Jordon Bateman with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Mark Blucher, ICBC’s CEO had a 35 per cent salary increase from 2011 to 2014, earning $430,095.

VP of Claims Brian Jarvis saw a 21 per cent increase during the same period, making $403,046.

Transportation Minister Todd Stone says the big picture is what matters.

“I think what really matters is the overall cost of management compensation and executive compensation is at its lowest level in the last five years.”

According to the NDP salaries rose at the expense of 400 layoffs, many of them frontline workers.

According to ICBC, the big increases at the top were due to executives changing jobs or taking on new responsibilities.

Dix brought the issue to the legislature on Monday.

With files from Ted Chernecki