CALGARY, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released documents obtained through Freedom of Information today detailing the Alberta government’s large communications staff. The documents show that the government employs 214 full-time communications directors, press secretaries and other communications staff at a cost of $23.1 million a year. This works out to an average of $107,844 per employee, and 11 communications staff per ministry.

“Government needs well paid and qualified communications staff do its job, but Alberta’s government has gone a little overboard,” said CTF Alberta Director Derek Fildebrandt. “When the average communications staffer cost $107,844 and we’ve got 11 of them per minister, we have a problem.”

The costs released do not included communication services contracted out by government to private firms and consultants or any government advertising.

Highlights

• Human Services had 13 Public Affairs Officers, ostensibly reporting to five managers, an average of 2.6 employees per manager.
• The Public Affairs Bureau (PAB) and ministries of Tourism, Health and Municipal Affairs all had average employee costs of $121,000 or more.
• The PAB and nine ministries had between 10 and 27 communications staff each.

Communications Staff by Ministry

Communications Staff by Type

Click here to view the full Freedom of Information request: http://www.taxpayer.com/media/FAB%20FOIP%20Response-Fildebrandt.pdf