NB Power’s former president and CEO continued to be the highest-paid civil servant in 2023, despite being fired a year earlier.
Keith Cronkhite earned between $575,000 and $599,999, according to unaudited employee salaries released by the province.
Cronkhite was fired in July 2022 and later replaced by Lori Clark, who earned between $475,000 to $499,999 last year.
Darren Murphy, chief financial officer and senior vice-president at NB Power, was paid between $375,000 and $399,999.
NB Power employees accounted for one-quarter of the 48 civil servants across government departments and agencies who earned at least $300,000.
Judges Jacques Desjardins and Kenneth Oliver earned between $400,000 and $424,999, making them the highest paid judges in the province.
Twenty-four other judges were also among the highest-paid civil servants in 2023, with each of them earning between $300,000 and $399,999.
Meanwhile, Dragana Kelly with the Horizon Health Network was paid between $400,000 and $424,999. She is listed as a registered nurse at the Veterans’ Health Unit in Fredericton.
She made more than president and CEO Margaret Melanson and senior vice-president Susan Brien, who were paid between $325,000 and $349,999.
Dr. France Desrosier, the president and CEO of Vitalité Health, was paid between $350,000 and $374,999. Senior vice-president Natalie Banville made $325,000 to $349,999.
Also making more than $300,000 were Cheryl Hansen, the province’s top civil servant at the time, who resigned in October of this year; former chief medical health officer Dr. Jennifer Russell, who stepped down in late 2023; current chief medical health officer Dr. Yves Léger; regional medical health officer Dr. Kimberly Barker; and Lori Stickles, the president and CEO of NB Liquor and Cannabis NB.
Across the civil service, more than 19,400 people were included in the 2023 database, meaning they earned a salary of at least $80,000.
More than 8,600 employees received at least $100,000, including nearly 200 who earned more than $200,000. More than 70 of those individuals made at least $250,000.
You can see the full database on the provincial government’s website.
