VANCOUVER, BC: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on new TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond to get wages under control. Nearly 600 people made $100,000 or more from TransLink in 2015, a 14 per cent jump from the year before, according to the agency’s Statement of Financial Information, which was quietly released by TransLink late Friday afternoon.

“This is another sign that TransLink has a long way to go before it can be trusted with more of our tax money,” said Jordan Bateman, B.C. Director of the CTF. “TransLink continues to become more and more top-heavy, while the front line and customers suffer.”

With 596 members, TransLink’s $100,000 club is:

• Up 14 per cent from 2014, when 524 people made $100,000 or more
• Up 37 per cent from 2013, when 434 people made $100,000 or more
• Up 52 per cent from 2012, when 393 people made $100,000 or more.

This year’s numbers DO NOT include interim CEO Doug Allen’s pay, as he was technically a contractor, not a salaried employee. His company, 1034 Tokyo Resources Inc. was paid $221,929 for Allen’s six months as CEO.

The numbers also DO NOT include retroactive payments to Transit Police officers, as part of their contract settlement. Without those retroactive payments, 66 of 148 constables, sergeants and staff sergeants made at least $100,000. Including those payments, 124 of 148 officers made six figures, along with another five security support personnel.

“If you factor in those retroactive payments to TransLink cops and the Doug Allen salary, some 660 people took at least $100,000 from TransLink taxpayers in 2015,” said Bateman. “At the same time they were demanding every single person across the Lower Mainland give them more in taxes, TransLink’s top staff were hiking their own pay.”

Ian Jarvis, dumped as CEO in February, still took $463,463 in compensation, including $78,931 in bonus payments. Jarvis was deemed a “board advisor” after his dismissal, but his calendar, obtained by the CTF through Freedom of Information, shows he met with board members for fewer than six hours in 2015. 

SkyTrain president Doug Kelsey, immediately fired after the No TransLink Tax plebiscite victory last July, still collected $308,069 from taxpayers. Public affairs vice-president Bob Paddon, also fired in July 2015, made $213,147 last year.

Members of TransLink’s six boards, including the Mayors’ Council, collected $777,649. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson made $44,865 on top of his mayoralty and Metro Vancouver wages. Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner collected an extra $39,570.