The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has come under fire for awarding $14.9 million in bonuses in 2023, according to records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). This decision has raised concerns, especially after the CBC announced layoffs affecting many employees due to a $125 million budget shortfall.
Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director, criticized CBC President Catherine Tait for giving out bonuses while laying off staff and asking for more government funding. The CTF has called on Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge to intervene and stop these bonuses.
In 2023, a total of 1,143 CBC employees received bonuses amounting to $14.9 million. However, this figure may be even higher as the records only go up to October 26, 2023. Since 2015, the CBC has distributed a total of $114 million in bonuses.
Tait defended the bonuses as an essential part of non-union staff compensation during a parliamentary committee meeting in January. Additionally, CBC provided $11.5 million in raises for the fiscal year 2023-24 to 6,575 employees without any pay cuts. The total approved pay raises since 2015 amount to $97 million.
Records also indicate a significant increase in the number of CBC employees earning six-figure salaries, now totaling at 1,450—an increase of 231% since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office in 2015.
After Tait highlighted “chronic underfunding” during a committee appearance, the federal government announced an additional $96.1 million increase in CBC funding. This brings the total taxpayer funding for the CBC to $1.4 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25.
Tait’s compensation falls within a range of $472,900 to $623,900 annually based on the senior management compensation summary provided by the CBC.
Terrazzano reiterated his call for Tait to take a pay cut and put an end to taxpayer-funded bonuses at the CBC. It remains a topic of debate whether such practices align with responsible financial management within public broadcasting organizations like the CBC.
