Government top pay revealed

VICTORIA – A severance payout to fired B.C. Lottery Corp. CEO Vic Poleschuk made him the highest paid government employee in B.C for the fiscal year ending March 31.

Poleschuk was paid $929,027, although his base salary was $275,000. He was bought out of his contract following a report by B.C. Ombudsman Kim Carter that showed potential for retailer fraud in lottery ticket sales.

Finance Minister Colin Hansen released the annual statement of executive compensation Thursday, along with the province’s public accounts for the fiscal year. It shows that the highest salaries go mainly to senior managers in government-related corporations and agencies such as health authorities and universities.

University of B.C. president Stephen Toope had the highest base salary, $378,000, and his total compensation was more than $578,000 for the year.

The next-highest base salary was $356,400 for Brent Aitken, vice chair of the B.C. Securities Commission.

Interior Health Authority, Murray Ramsden, made $329,548 in salary and $369,165 overall while Vancouver Coastal Health CEO Ida Goodreau made $323,00 in base salary.

BC Hydro CEO Bob Elton’s salary was $378,000, and his total compensation of $578,936.70 put him second to Poleschuk for the year. Close behind was BC Rail CEO Kevin Mahoney, with $569,975 in total compensation on a salary of $275,000.

Hansen, who as a cabinet minister makes a base salary of $147,000, said compensation for public sector executives in B.C. is “in the middle of the pack” for Canadian provinces.