Federal Employees in 2022-23 Received Over $210M in Bonuses from Ottawa

Federal employees received more than $210 million in performance pay and bonuses in the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to a recently tabled government document.

The data released by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) showed that 89.2 percent of federal employees at or above the executive level received performance pay over and above their salaries. That compares to only 2.6 percent of the workers below the executive level who received bonuses.

The document shows that 42 of 90 federal agencies shelled out more than $1 million in compensation pay in the 2022-23 fiscal year, with the Department of Justice leading the spending at $18,057,621.

A total of 321 Justice Department executives and 1,387 non-executives received compensation over and above their regular salaries. While more employees below executive level received bonus pay, it represented less than 30 percent of workers in that category compared to the 96.7 percent of executives who received bonuses.

The Canada Revenue Agency was second on the list, doling out $17,395,411 in bonuses to employees with 98.5 percent of its executives receiving performance pay and 4 percent of the remaining employees receiving bonuses.

Executives in the Core Public Administration are “eligible for performance pay when they meet the commitments outlined in their annual performance agreements and demonstrate key leadership competencies,” reads the TBS document signed by Treasury Board President Anita Anand.

The document describes performance pay as a key component of executives’ total compensation package that must be re-earned each year.

“The at-risk nature of performance pay helps hold executives accountable for delivery of results and excellence in leadership,” the Inquiry of Ministry reads.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, who is responsible for ensuring Canadians’ tax dollars are spent wisely, handed out $5,606,468 in bonuses to 96 percent of its executives and 4.7 percent of the rest of its workforce.