A psychiatrist with the North Bay Regional Health Centre is one of the highest public sector wage earners in North Bay. Kenneth Boss made $477,000 last year according to figures released under the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act. Two other psychiatrists, Douglas Marr and Valerie Primeau earned $359,000 and $341,000 respectively. Paul Heinrich, the hospital’s CAO shows up fourth on the list at $322,000. In total, 129 employees at the hospital including nurses and physicians have a salary that tops $100,000 annually.
Continuing in the medical field, the medical officer of health with the North Bay-Parry Sound District Health Unit, Doctor Jim Chirico, earned $311,000 in 2017. Twelve other health unit employee also earned more than $100,000 last year.
At North Bay City Hall, the name of the city’s former CAO Jerry Knox still shows up on the disclosure salary list even though he retired nearly two years ago. In 2017, Knox took home $204,000 well ahead of current CAO Keith Robichaud who earned $183,000. City Hall has 89 employees who make more than $100,000 including Margaret Karpenko, the Chief Financial Officer and David Euler the head of engineering who both earn about $167,000.
The highest paid person in the education field is Michael De Gagne, the president of Nipissing University who made $277,000 slightly more than George Burton, his counter-part at Canadore College who earned $245,000. Both post-secondary schools have nearly 200 employees on the Sunshine List with the majority employed at Nipissing University. At the school board level, Jackie Young, the education director with the Near North District School Board, made $171,000 slightly less than the $178,000 earned by the director of education at the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board. The public board has 108 teachers, principals and staff including superintendents on the list while at the Catholic board the number falls to 45.
With emergency services, Shawn Devine, the Chief of Police, made $206,000 while Deputy Police Chief William Tod earned $180,000. A further 78 other police personnel make more than $100,000. Meanwhile Fire Chief Jason Whiteley earned $138,713 while Deputy Fire Chief Greg Saunders wasn’t too far behind at $138,207.
Under the disclosure act, the salaries of publicly paid employees must be listed by April 1st of each year.
