Newly disclosed federal data has revealed a dramatic surge in the number of high-earning public servants, with those taking home more than $150,000 annually nearly doubling over a five-year period.
Sharp Rise in High Earners
According to documents released by the Treasury Board Secretariat, 27,261 federal public workers received total compensation exceeding $150,000 in the 2024-25 fiscal year. This figure represents a staggering 96% increase compared to five years ago and a 28% jump from the previous fiscal year alone.
The data was provided in response to an order paper question filed by Richmond Hill South MP Vincent Ho. The compensation includes salary, benefits, overtime, and bonuses for employees across the executive branch, core public administration, and federal agencies.
Breaking Down the Salary Brackets
The Secretariat's breakdown shows a significant number of public servants in the highest compensation tiers for the 2024-25 fiscal year:
- 20,200 earned between $150,000 and $199,999.
- 4,960 earned $200,000 or more.
- 1,399 earned $250,000 or more.
- 654 earned over $300,000.
- 42 earned more than $400,000.
Interestingly, the number of workers earning over $500,000 saw a recent decline. Only six individuals were in this bracket in 2024-25, down from 17 in both the 2023-24 and 2022-23 fiscal years.
A Growing Public Service
This surge in high earners coincides with the federal public service reaching its largest size in Canadian history. The workforce has grown by approximately 40% over the past decade, now standing at nearly 358,000 employees. This growth rate far outpaces Canada's overall population increase of 14% during the same period, solidifying the federal government's position as the nation's biggest employer.
The data does not include several key groups, such as federal judges, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Forces, as they are not classified as part of the federal public service. Employees of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the National Capital Commission, and several other agencies with separate pay systems are also excluded from these figures.
Unlike provinces like Ontario, which publishes an annual "sunshine list" of public sector employees earning over $100,000, the federal government does not have a similar routine public disclosure. Ontario's latest list featured over 377,000 names, topped by Ontario Power Generation CEO Kenneth Hartwick with compensation around $2 million.
The release of these numbers is likely to fuel ongoing debates about the size, cost, and efficiency of the federal bureaucracy, especially in contrast to studies that have criticized service delivery levels despite the record workforce.
