Public Health Sudbury & Districts salary disclosure

The 2021 salary disclosure data released today paints a stark picture of the human and financial toll of the Public Health response to the unprecedented global public health emergency. The salary disclosure data complements Public Health Sudbury & District’s 2021 COVID-19 Response by the Numbers report, which describes the significant volume and scope of the agency’s pandemic actions.

In 2021, Public Health employees were required to work a total of 61 559 hours of overtime (the workload equivalent of almost 34 full time positions) under intensely stressful and constantly changing conditions. Long hours, reassignments, seven-day multi-shift work weeks, cancelled vacations, and significant and longstanding overtime have stretched and tested everyone’s resilience. Today’s salary disclosure reflects this workload and includes 60 Public Health employees for 2021 as compared with 28 in 2020, and 9 in 2019.

“The COVID-19 pandemic response required our Public Health team to work at unprecedented levels. The work demands have been relentless, at great intensity and with much stress. Public Health staff have stepped up with unwavering commitment, but at great personal sacrifice including costs to personal mental health and well-being,” said René Lapierre, Chair, Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “They cannot get their time back with their families, but the salaries earned over the pandemic are some recognition of the absolute dedication of the team, including our Medical Officer of Health, to support the health of our communities when they needed us the most,” added Lapierre.

In addition to requiring overtime, Public Health recruited additional staff to respond to the demands, called on other public health units and the provincial workforce, in addition to seeking much valued support from local volunteers, community agencies, and municipal partners and their staff. Although recruitment efforts allowed Public Health to increase its staffing complement, recruitment has not been possible for many essential public health professionals. This is due to the shortage of public health professionals combined with the acute need to fill gaps across all of Ontario’s 34 local public health units. By the end of 2021, 563 staff were employed by the agency, as compared with 217 pre-pandemic (full-time, part-time, and casual).

“We have been searching to recruit an Associate Medical Officer of Health for some time now, and this position has been vacant for the duration of the pandemic. Our Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, has been our unfaltering leader throughout this emergency, herself having worked the equivalent of well over two positions for two years,” said Lapierre. “Dr. Sutcliffe’s salary disclosure includes these facts, but also includes additional hours from 2020 that were not paid out until 2021. Of Dr. Sutcliffe’s disclosure, $219,000 is related to overtime worked in 2020, but not paid until 2021 and a further $263,000 is related to overtime worked and paid in 2021.”

In accordance with the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act 1996 (Ontario Government), the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts discloses the names, positions, salaries, and total taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in the previous year. Salary disclosure details for Public Health Sudbury & Districts employees subject of the Act are now available online.

The Ministry of Health reimburses boards of health at 100% for COVID-19 extraordinary costs. All 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 extraordinary costs such as staff wages and overtime, space rental supplies and equipment, communications, etc. have been funded by the provincial government. Municipal levies have not been impacted.

In collaboration with provincial and local partners, Public Health’s pandemic response activities are aimed at controlling and reducing COVID-19 transmission, and preventing outbreaks, severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths. The 2021 COVID-19 Response by the Numbers report demonstrates the agency’s ongoing responsibilities and transparency to stakeholders, clients, and community members by showcasing key activities and indicators of success.

To learn more about Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ COVID-19 response as well as the agency’s pandemic recovery plan, please visit www.phsd.ca or call 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).