Conestoga College president John Tibbits considers his car an essential part of job. So essential that it comes as part of his contract, paid for by the college.
Tibbits received more than $25,500 in taxable benefits last year on top of a salary of about $297,000, according to salary disclosure figures released by the province. About $8,000 of his benefit package went toward a car.
Tibbits drives between the college's five campuses and travels to Toronto several times a month for meetings. Life without a car would be difficult and it would likely be more expensive for the college to pay for his public transportation, he said.
Cambridge Memorial Hospital president and chief executive Julia Dumanian received $30,066 in benefits that include a car allowance and medical and dental coverage.
"Our feeling is we've met the requirements of the salary disclosure act by providing you with salary and benefits and we're not going to give any more information at this time," spokesperson Chris Sellers said.
University of Waterloo president David Johnston made $416,000 last year and received $24,236 in benefits. His package consists of a housing loan at three per cent a year, life insurance and an allowance to lease a "full-sized vehicle," said school spokesperson Michael Strickland.
Waterloo regional police Chief Larry Gravill received about $13,215 in benefits last year, most of which is for a police cruiser. That was on top of a salary of slightly less than $200,000.
The province allowed college presidents to get a pot of money equal to 11 per cent of their salary which they could put toward a laundry list of benefits.
Along with his salary, Tibbits said his flexible benefit plan played a part in keeping him at Conestoga as one of longest-serving college presidents in the province.
"There was a period of time a number of years ago when I would get calls from other colleges with offers," he said. "I might have been open to going somewhere else if the package had been better."
Benefits are a key part in attracting and retaining top minds to the public service, said Prem Benimadhu, vice-president of governance and human resources as the Conference Board of Canada.
A shortage of qualified top administrators and growing responsibilities has pushed both salary and benefit packages higher, particularly in health care and post-secondary education sectors.
This is cache, read story here
