April 16 2010
Hospitals, health, adoption and hockey charities believe charity begins at home.
Charity pays – if you are a top executive lucky enough to run one of Canada’s big-name charitable organizations.
Charities attract generous support from Canadians through individual donations. They are financed by governments that grant them tax-exempt status, which costs taxpayers billions annually in foregone revenue.
The Toronto Globe and Mail has just published a list of the charities lavishing big bucks on top executives. The figures, from Canada Revenue Agency filings in 2009, show the following:
$350,000 or more:
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
- St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, Toronto
- York University Foundation
- Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, Toronto
- Montreal General Hospital Foundation
$300,000 to $350,000:
- Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation, Toronto
- Plan International Canada (formerly Foster Parents Plan)
- Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario
- YMCA of Greater Toronto
$250,000 to $300,000:
- Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation (4 people)
- British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital Foundation
- VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation, Vancouver
$200,000 to $250,000:
- Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division
- Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada
- World Wildlife Fund Canada
- Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters
- Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum
- Canadian Red Cross
Albina Guarnieri, Liberal MP for the Toronto area riding of Mississauga East-Cooksville, has introduced a private member’s bill in the House of Commons that would restrict such salaries to a maximum of $250,000 a year. It is to come up for a vote later this month.
She was prompted to introduce it after learning that $2.7 million was paid in salary and severance last year to the head of the SickKids Foundation.