N.B. Power executives dominate list of 2022's highest-paid government employees
Employees at N.B. Power took six of the top 10 spots among the highest-paid civil servants in 2022, according to a recently released list from the Government of New Brunswick.
Every December, the government releases a list of all employees making over $80,000 in the previous year. There were 18,926 government employees who made this year's list looking back on 2022.
The salaries are published online but only include a salary range for each person instead of an exact number.
The top earner was Keith Cronkhite, the CEO of N.B. Power who was fired in July 2022. He was paid between $600,000 and $624,999.
Cronkhite's 2022 salary was larger than his past salaries, likely due to a severance payout. His salary in 2021 was between $475,000 and $499,999.
The company's replacement CEO, Lori Clark, who stepped in as acting president in July 2022 and was appointed CEO in March 2023, also placed high on the list — somewhere between $350,000 and $374,999.
But Clark is only the fourth-highest earner for N.B. Power. The second-highest earner for the whole province is N.B. Power employee Gerald Fairweather at $450,000 to $474,999.
Former N.B. Power CEO Keith Cronkhite was fired in July 2022, but was still New Brunswick's highest-paid government official that year. (Roger Cosman/CBC News)
Out of the top 50 public sector earners, 29 are N.B. Power employees. This comes after the utility has just asked for a 9.8 per cent rate hike for customers in both 2024 and 2025, citing its massive debt and the need to "make modest improvements in its financial health."
A spokesperson for N.B. Power did not respond to an interview request Thursday to explain why the Crown corporation's executives are the highest paid and what Fairweather's position is with N.B Power.
Public Health employees also ranked high on the list. The number three earner in the New Brunswick public sector is Dragana Kelly with Horizon Health Network, earning between $375,000 and $399,000. The Nurse's Association of New Brunswick lists her as a registered nurse since 2017 in the Veterans Health Unit in Fredericton.
The Department of Finance and Treasury Board, which is responsible for the list, did not respond to a request on Thursday for information about who Kelly is or why she is paid so much.
Kris McDavid, a Horizon spokesperson, directed the question to the Finance and Treasury Board because that department created the list. He said it might be an error.
But Bruce Macfarlane, senior director of media relations for the province, directed the question back to Horizon because it provides salary information to the Finance and Treasury Board in order for the list to be made.
The next-highest-paid person at Horizon is Susan Ellen Brien, who is listed on LinkedIn as a vice-president medical, academic, and research affairs.
France Desrosiers, CEO of Vitalité Health Network, earned $350,000 to $374,999. Natalie Banville, senior vice-president of client programs and medical affairs, was Vitalité's second-highest earner at $325,000 to $349,999.
Margaret Melanson, CEO of Horizon Health Network, earned between $275,000 and $299,999.
Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health who resigned in October 2023, made between $325,000 and $349,000.
Dr. Jennifer Russell, former chief medical officer of health, resigned in October 2023. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Heads of other Crown corporations do not place as high as N.B. Power's top paid officials.
The CEO of N.B. Liquor, Lori Stickles, earned between $300,000 and $324,999. The highest earner for Cannabis N.B. was vice-president Lara Wood at $175,00-$199,999.
Alan Roy, CEO of Service New Brunswick, made between $225,000 and $249,000.
François Beaulieu, chair of the N.B. Energy and Utilities board, made between $225,000 and $249,000. He died in May of 2023.
Pierre Zundel, president of Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, made between $225,000 and $249,999. Mary Butler, president of New Brunswick Community College, made between $200,000 and $224,999.
Sadie Perron, CEO of Opportunities N.B., made between $200,000 and $224,999.
The five top-paid judges made between $275,000 and $299,999.
Premier Blaine Higgs earned a minister's salary of $75,855 and an additional $85,000 as premier, and got $36,855 for "travel and other expenses," and $9,491 for a car allowance, for a total of $207,201.
Premier Blaine Higgs earned a total salary of just over $200,000 for 2022. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
His former chief of staff, Louis Léger, earned between $225,000 and $249,000.
The highest-paid deputy minister was Cheryl Hansen of the Finance Department and Treasury Board, at $275,000 to $299,999.
The next highest was deputy minister Eric Beaulieu of the Health Department, at $225,000 to $249,999. All other deputy ministers were paid between $175,000 and $225,000.
