The president and CEO of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre was the highest-paid provincial public-sector employee in Peterborough, Ont., in 2023, according to provincial data released on Thurday afternoon.
Dr. Lynn Mikula, who began the top hospital roles in late March 2023, earned $414,992.08 (with $3,802.08 taxable benefits), according to the Ontario government’s 2023 public-sector salary disclosure list, the so-called “Sunshine List” for public sector salaries that are over $100,000.
Mikula’s reported salary in 2022 was $360,577.50 when she served as PRHC’s executive vice-president, chief of staff and chief medical executive. She replaced Dr. Peter McLaughlin, who led all Peterborough public-sector employees in 2022 with a $392,000 salary. In 2023 he earned $208,419.69 prior to retirement in late May.
Earning the second-highest public-sector employee salary in Peterborough in 2023 was Trent University’s president and vice-chancellor Dr. Leo Groarke. In 2023 he earned $337,355.80 (with $24,243.29 in taxable benefits). He is retiring in July with Dr. Cathy Bruce named his replacement.
PRHC vice-president Katherine Farnell had the city’s third-highest public sector employee salary in 2023. She earned $320,138.86 (with $2,061.80) taxable benefits.
Rounding out the top five salaries in 2023 among public-sector employees working in the city were:
- Dr. Thomas Piggot, Peterborough Public Health’s medical officer of health, earned $302,531.95 (with $17,444.84 in taxable benefits).
- Jennifer Taylor, vice-president at PRHC, earned $281,773.48 (with $2,218.88 in taxable benefits).
According to the disclosure list, 1,662 individuals in 2023 were associated with “Peterborough” as a search on the database, up from 1,331 reported in 2022 and 1,175 reported in 2021.
Some other notables on the 2023 list:
- City of Peterborough: Jasbir Raina, chief administrative officer, earned $243,510.29. He was the city’s highest-paid public-sector employee in 2023.
- Peterborough Police Service: Police chief Stuart Betts earned $225,961.50. He was sworn in as the new chief in January of 2023. Deputy chief Jamie Hartnett, who began the role in January 2024, earned $192,467.49 in 2023.
- Peterborough Fire Services: Fire chief Chris Snetsinger earned $169,214.12.
- Peterborough County: Sheridan Graham earned $213,688.52 as the county’s chief administrative officer, deputy clerk and deputy treasurer.
- Peterborough County-City Paramedics: Randy Mellow earned $204,267.14 as senior director of emergency shared services/chief of paramedics and deputy chief administrative. He is retiring at the end of 2024.
- Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board: Stephen O’Sullivan earned $245,639.09 as director of education, and secretary and treasurer of the board. He began the roles in August. He replaced Joan Carragher, who earned $217,389.76 in 2023.
- Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board: Rita Russo earned $267,605.81 as director of education.
- Fleming College: President Maureen Adamson earned $281,538.92.
For the first time, the “Sunshine List” surpassed 300,000 employees across Ontario.