Some Regina public sector workers seeing salaries increase

Some of Regina’s public sector employees are seeing their salaries increase dramatically.

More city workers are making six figure salaries than ever before, and some health care employees are making over $350,000.

Employers say it’s all due to competition.

“I think it comes down to, what services do people want?” City of Regina’s Human Resources Manager Sylvia Lee asked. “To what level do they expect them? We’re a growing community, a growing city.”

There are 215 people working within the City of Regina earning over $100,000, a 652% jump in five years. Many of the employees work at City Hall, managing employees and departments. There are several police officers on that list, as well.

“The key is to attract people,” Lee said. “If we don’t pay enough, then we aren’t going to attract the right people.”

It isn’t only City employees. In the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region there are at least 10 people earning over $350,000, and there could be more. They only have to disclose their top 10 earners. According to Mike Higgins, the Vice-President of Human Resources for RQHR, those with the highest salaries are physicians.

“They’re paid these fees because that’s what the market bears for delivering medical services for patients,” Higgins explained.

To keep these physicians in Saskatchewan with the Canadian market so competitive, they need to be paid more.

“It sets a standard, at least in a competitive sense between provinces, so we can attract and keep good physicians,” Higgins said.

Tax dollars go towards paying public sector salaries. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s Colin Craig says higher salaries are warranted when it comes to physicians, but governments still need to keep costs in check. One way, according to Craig, is to contract out positions.

“Something the government could do to reduce costs is to introduce competition so you can get those salaries down to more reasonable levels,” Craig explained.