Payday: Outgoing Ontario MPPs will collect a total of $2.8 million in severance
Payday: Outgoing Ontario MPPs will collect a total of $2.8 million in severance
You can now add 18 people to the unemployment rolls in the province of Ontario. These individuals, however, aren't necessarily worried about making ends meet or having enough money to put food on the table. The 18, of course, are the now-former Ontario MPPs who either chose not to run or lost in last week's provincial election. According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, this group will collectively earn approximately $2.8 million in severance.
The severance payments are on the high end of what somebody would get if they were working a similar six-figure job in the business sector.
Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Unlike in federal politics—where MPs and senators earn a lifetime pension—Ontario MPPs are given severance based on the number of years served in office and average annual remuneration. An MPP that has served four years or less at Queen's Park receives a severance equal to six months of his or her average salary; a member serving more than four years but less that eight years earns one year's salary; and any MPP with more than eight years in office gets a severance equal to 18 months pay. The largest payout, according to the data provided to Yahoo Canada News, goes to former cabinet minister Liberal Ric Bartolucci. For his 19 years service, he get's a taxpayer funded "going away present" of $265,400. Progressive Conservative Doug Holyday, who had been an MPP for less than one year, will take home $77,000.