The number of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) employees earning six-figure salaries has skyrocketed by 231% since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office, according to recent data obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).In 2023, 1,450 CBC staff members earned more than $100,000 annually, a dramatic increase from 2015 when only 438 employees took home six-figure salaries. The surge in high-paying salaries at the state broadcaster has cost taxpayers over $181 million, with an average salary of $125,000 for these employees.“The CBC has been raking in big paycheques and bonuses while the taxpayers footing the bills have been struggling,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Is anyone in government going to step in, stick up for taxpayers, and put an end to the CBC gravy train?”In addition to the rising salaries, the CBC also granted over $11.5 million in pay raises to 87% of its workforce in 2023, despite no employees receiving a pay cut. Since 2015, the total amount of raises at the CBC has reached $97 million.Moreover, the CBC paid out $18.4 million in bonuses in 2024, even after eliminating hundreds of jobs. These bonuses included $3.3 million distributed to 45 executives, averaging $73,000 each—more than the average Canadian worker's salary, according to Statistics Canada. The rest of the bonuses were allocated to 631 managers and 518 other employees, bringing the total bonus payouts to $132 million since 2015.Combined, raises and bonuses at the CBC have cost taxpayers over $229 million since 2015.The CBC’s viewership, however, does not reflect these growing expenditures. The CBC News Network’s share of the national prime-time viewing audience has plummeted from 7.6% in 2018 to just 2.1% in 2024, a drop of 72%. Despite this decline, the CBC maintains that its performance “continues to track above” its target of 1.7%, attributing this to major news stories that drew larger audiences.In the fiscal year 2024-25, the CBC will receive over $1.4 billion from taxpayers, a sum that could cover the annual grocery bills for approximately 86,000 Canadian families of four.“It’s time to end these taxpayer-funded bonuses and defund the CBC,” said Terrazzano.
