The provincial government released its annual list of the top ten senior managers working in the public sector who made the most money in the 2018-19 fiscal year that ended on March 31st, with the CEO of a subsidiary of BC Hydro topping the list.

Thomas Bechard, the president and CEO of Powerex - a company that is an electricity marketing subsidiary of BC Hydro – was compensated $938,499 in 2018-19, including a $358,800 salary and a holdback/bonus of more than $500,000 dollars.

The University of British Columbia’s president, Santa J Ono’s total compensation came in at $601,772, while Chris O’Riley the president and COO of BC Hydro had a total compensation of $554,900.

Total compensation incudes salary, holdback or bonus, benefits, pension and any other compensation.

One person earned less than the year before, Brenda Leong - the chair of the BC Securities Commission - took home a total compensation package of $502,848 compared to $639,702 in the 2017-18 year.

Two others on the list – Ken Cretney the president of BC Pavilion Corporation and Andrew Szeri, a vice-president at UBC received total increases of more than $100,000.

The Ministry of Finance releases the list of executive compensation each year. In a release it called the salaries "fair and affordable."

Here’s the full list:

  1. Thomas Bechard, president and CEO, Powerex
    Salary: $358,800
    Holdback/bonus: $540,000
    Benefits: $19,348
    Pension: $17,512
    All other compensation: $2,839
    Total compensation 2018-19: $938,499
    Total compensation 2017-18: $898,258
     
  2. Santa J. Ono, president and vice-chancellor, University of British Columbia
    Salary: $470,000
    Holdback/bonus: $0
    Benefits: $11,931
    Pension: $46,050
    All other compensation: $73,791
    Total compensation 2018-19: $601,772
    Total compensation 2017-18: $595,848
     
  3. Chris O'Riley, president and COO, BC Hydro
    Salary: $365,190
    Holdback/bonus: $34,223
    Benefits: $29,273
    Pension: $78,516
    All other compensation: $47,698
    Total compensation 2018-19: $554,900
    Total compensation 2017-18: $529,184
     
  4. Brenda Leong, chair, BC Securities Commission
    Salary: $439,764
    Holdback/bonus: $0
    Benefits: $12,754
    Pension: $43,317
    All other compensation: $7,013
    Total compensation 2018-19: $502,848
    Total compensation 2017-18: $639,702
     
  5. Ken Cretney, president and CEO, BC Pavilion Corporation
    Salary: $247,797
    Holdback/bonus: $173,872
    Benefits: $13,254
    Pension: $24,408
    All other compensation: $13,620
    Total compensation 2018-19: $472,951
    Total compensation 2017-18: $372,453
     
  6. Nicolas Jimenez, president and CEO, ICBC
    Salary: $381,601
    Holdback/bonus: $0
    Benefits: $17,443
    Pension: $67,257
    All other compensation: $2,482
    Total compensation 2018-19: $468,783
    Total compensation 2017-18: $382,132
     
  7. Andrew Szeri, vice-president academic and provost, University of British Columbia
    Salary: $395,698
    Holdback/bonus: $0
    Benefits: $8,312
    Pension: $38,620
    All other compensation: $1,785
    Total compensation 2018-19: $444,415
    Total compensation 2017-18: $326,124
     
  8. Andrew Petter, president, Simon Fraser University
    Salary: $328,870
    Holdback/bonus: $33,000
    Benefits: $9,986
    Pension: $32,468
    All other compensation: $35,586
    Total compensation 2018-19: $439,910
    Total compensation 2017-18: $439,460
     
  9. James Cassels, president and vice chancellor, University of Victoria
    Salary: $378,388
    Holdback/bonus: $0
    Benefits: $7,318
    Pension: $47,138
    All other compensation: $135
    Total compensation 2018-19: $432,979
    Total compensation 2017-18: $423,215
     
  10. Mark Poweska, executive vice-president, operations, BC Hydro
    Salary: $285,667
    Holdback/bonus: $54,303
    Benefits: $20,484
    Pension: $61,418
    All other compensation: $874
    Total compensation 2018-19: $422,746
    Total compensation 2017-18: $405,720

Note: Total compensation includes base salary, holdback or bonus, statutory and health benefits and pension contributions, as well as other allowances and/or payments, which may include vacation payout, sick leave payout, vehicle allowance, paid parking, severance/salary continuance, retirement allowance, professional fees and administrative leave.