Salaries of Sask. Crown executives fell 1% in 2019-20 fiscal year: Report

The salaries of upper management at Saskatchewan’s Crown corporations dipped during the 2019-20 fiscal year, but not nearly as much as the previous year.

The Crown Investments Corporation’s 2019-20 Payee Disclosure Report shows executives and senior managers at the Crowns were paid $20.2 million, a one per cent decrease from the previous fiscal year.

The 2018-19 report showed the salaries of those individuals fell 18 per cent from one year earlier.

The annual report — the 2020 version of which was presented to the Standing Committee on Crown and Central Agencies on Friday — lists the salaries of every employee in the Crown sector who receives more than $50,000 annually.

Total compensation for the fiscal year was steady from the previous year at just over $1 billion.

SaskPower CEO Mike Marsh was paid $591,918 last year, while SaskTel CEO Doug Burnett received $526,458.

Blair Swystun, the head of the Crown Investments Corporation, was paid $518,916. SGI boss Andrew Cartmell earned $507,186 and SaskEnergy CEO Ken From was paid $492,800.

According to the report, the Crowns gave around $18.9 million in community support through grants, contributions, donations and sponsorships, while municipalities received $21 million through grants-in-lieu of property taxes.

As well, the Crowns paid about $5.6 billion to suppliers and others primarily for products and services.

“Crown sector activity helps to stimulate the province’s overall economy by employing more than 11,000 Saskatchewan people, investing in infrastructure and creating economic spinoffs that benefit Saskatchewan businesses, communities and municipalities, as well as government priorities,” Crown Investments Minister Joe Hargrave said in the release.