As Toronto City Council turns its attention to “personnel matters” at Toronto Hydro, new information has emerged on executive pensions at the government-owned utility.
A report by Rob Hatton, Director, Strategic Initiatives & Intergovernmental Finance, Corporate Finance for the City of Toronto notes that the retirement allowances for CEO Anthony Haines in 2013 alone will add up to $330,000. Hatton’s report was one of the appendices to the motion of Council referred to in Part 82 of this series.
The retirement allowances for Mr. Haines are on top of his pension, retirement benefits, and termination payment entitlement (currently in excess of $1.7 million not including extended health and dental benefits, all of which is payable on firing unless it is with cause). In 2012, Mr. Haines took home $935,501 in salary and bonus — a Canadian national record for a municipal employee. His 2012 pay was a 9.8% boost over 2011. All elements of Mr. Haines’s pay and retirement benefits are approved by the utility’s city-appointed Board of Directors.
Previous reports in this series starting with Part 68 document how the CEO has repeatedly appeared before the Ontario Energy Board presenting sworn testimony that includes a phoney CV claiming he earned an undergraduate degree.
Utility ratepayers in Toronto cover all the utility’s compensation costs in its distribution rates. Part 53 of this series puts Toronto Hydro’s distribution rates in the context of the rest of Ontario’s local distributors. Toronto Hydro has by far the highest rates of any urban utility in Ontario.
Hi Tom,
Thanks again for the update.
Its very clear Toronto Hydro is and has been a very wishy washy operation and trust me it doesn’t get any worse then what’s taking place within the middle and upper Management at Toronto Hydro the place is out of control and it has been for the last 10 years or so
And Cupe Local One is one of the worst Locals in the CUPE through out Canada and the Local One Executives are also in the game as partners in crime with Toronto Hydro middle and executives and trust me also that Toronto Hydro Board is another joke all the wrong people are elected on that board who frankly don’t give a #*#* about the company or the rate or tax payer as long as the money keeps rolling in that’s the bottom line nothing less and trust me nothing more.
I strongly feel that there are folks at Toronto Hydro within the Local One Union and Management and some current and past Board members if properly put on the microscope and monitored and investigated by the OPP or the RCMP you will see more then just a few of these folks behind bars at a Canadian Corrections Facility within Canada for a few years, and only when this does happen then we all within the City of Toronto will see a very long and over due change at Toronto Hydro
Till and if this type of action ever happens anytime soon or ever within our life time, well just expect the same old out of control ways in how Toronto Hydro operates and their threats and their very covered up lies and the use of wrong applications and engineering that what is brand new build is all ready 20 years old as soon as the breaker is closed on that so called brand new UG/OV circuit and if it stays closed for 60 seconds before they have to do some major switching to re loop back on the old circuit before the phone calls flood the good old call center and hope its not on a Friday most call centre staff have vanished for the weekend and the trouble room crews are very busy in who’s turn it is to buy the case of 24 beer or 2 cases and food for when they all get back to their area service centers
And no worries from this current CEO or any of these current VP’S where their only concern is to check as much as possible all their gains in their personal investments and the daily OMERS stocks to make sure OMERS is in good shape if OMERS is in good shape the current CEO and the rest of these VP’S and also some not all from the Local One Executive.
We are in year 2013 and we have still Companies like Toronto Hydro still around and just playing games with the public and Energy Board to get more more money
From the rate payer to only line their pockets very large amounts of money when these clowns retire for doing only one thing for the rate payer and tax payer within the City of Toronto and that fact is to screw the rate payer over and that’s souly and purely what Toronto Hydro is all about for the last 11 years to this current time,,,,, It’s Unbelievable and Real Scary what Toronto Hydro is all about and what is going down within the core or this organization, with all this terrible media and stories that have been reported so far within the last 2 years I am 100% sure there will be lots more stories and truth slowly to uvail the cold and hard facts and the truth in what the hell is going down within Toronto Hydro and I hope at that time we all see some of these folks be walked out from 14 Carlton St, and other locations at Toronto Hydro in handcuffs and right to trial.
Santers
Santers,
I recognize that you have been observing the utility for many years but I challenge the currency of your conclusions and invite documented examples to support your case.
Regarding your conclusion that CUPE 1 are “partners in crime” with the utility’s management, I question whether that conclusion is a reliable reflection of current circumstances. Here is one example that suggests conflict between union vs. management, not partnership: <http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/02/17/toronto-hydro-cupe.html>. Another counter example suggesting conflict between union vs. management, not partnership is the increased number of contract grievances.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Many thanks for observing that I have been following for many years in what is going on and down at Toronto Hydro, if I had in hand firm and accountable proof that there is a complex game being played at Toronto Hydro, within middle management and upper management and inside the board room I would of gathered and presented all the information to the correct level of authority in a heart beat.
I think the only way to crack open this case and to get in the bottom of what is not and going down within this organization is to have the current Mayors Office to get the ball rolling and a division of the Ontario Government within the office of the Ontario office of the ombudsman and a large American forensics investigator firm to enter this organization with their own systems and teams and get in the bottom of what is not and going down through out the Toronto Hydro Organization like it has been done and currently done through out the world when there is any kind of suspicion or a red flag goes up with any Government or Private Service to the public, well with that said this move can only be planned and okayed by the Mayors Office and all the parties that that are involved within the shareholder Capital circle.
I have many friends who have a few years before they retire within Management and they cant wait the sooner the better they all say to get off the Toronto Hydro parole and retire, they had seen and heard enough and they just want out ASAP, that’s what I can share with you Tom
And in regards to Local One, I am aware of that story about the Health & Safety Representative being pressed and pressured to leave, Tom I think there is more to the story then you and I know about that matter, its like someone doesn’t want this person any longer on the Toronto Hydro payroll for some kind of reason it seems in this case one way or the other.
Local One Executives, only a few of them have lots of personal ties with Supervisors and Managers and have a few VP’S in there pocket and these ties are not for day in day out services at Toronto Hydro, time to time, I was told that they set up and fire a Union or Management staff member if this member doesn’t play the game or wants to know too much… that’s a fact and rest assure this is just the little strange things that are going down within this Organization Tom.
Lets wait and see who Local Ones new contract looks in January 2014 or soon after this date, this is where if any good change will happen it will and it could be very Interesting where it all goes for Toronto Hydro and its future, I think the major change will be coming down the wire after the new Local One contract gets signed and passed and right after the City of Toronto Elections, that how many folks feel.
Santers
I do not follow it, I live it.
The environment is similar to that of a 1840’s Wild West town. The only badge I see protecting employees and ratepayers is Cupe1. Claims of corruption in the local, “union execs. with ties to management and VP’s in back pockets” comes as an insult to a union member who has had to watch his back for the past 7 years.
Food for thought
Hi Hydro Guy,
Thanks for the update and concern, but you really have no clue I have very close friends who got fired for not playing the game and only for trying to be honest and speaking and acting on something that could of injured or killed someone in one case and that’s it the Overhead Department and this story is only 1 of at least 85 employees that got fired for asking questions and reporting it in the last 8 to 10 years.
I have heard Supervisors and a few Managers who wont ever play that inside game that’s going down in Toronto Hydro. and I hear it when I get together at least 1 to 2 times a month with these guys who are Managers in what foolish and very low games are played when there is an attack to get an employee set up to get fired, matter of fact its scary what I hear…
And yes your Union is part of getting a Union member fired when he or she knows too much or asks to many very good questions or even acts to stop something major of happening, and that’s all done behind every ones back, and your Local One voted in Pres, and other Local One Executives and Supervisor and Mangers, and your current HR VP and some other VP’s are all in the game to get this person or persons in mind fired.
I know and have friend who have been working at Toronto Hydro for many years and these guys who I know there are very aware in what is going on and down but just hide run away and pretend they know nothing and see nothing cuz they will be on a pension in a few months to a couple of years if they can hang in that long from all the pressure within Toronto Hydro.
What about all the Staff that is on stress leave or have mental health issues from working at Toronto Hydro for only with 2 to 5 years? Mister Hydro Worker know anything about how many members are on light duties or home with mental health issues caused by Toronto Hydro’s work place as I have been told and lots of folks are hearing about this problem at Toronto Hydro, is this one also as you say a Insult? to you or your Union? or Company?
Just sharing what is out there all ready.
And God Bless You, if you have only 7 years in you will need all the luck in the world for working at Toronto Hydro and that you will be able to work there for another 20 years, in a Company that’s hated from other Hydro’s across Ontario, and Generation Companies Across Canada, Toronto Hydro is not well liked and there is not too much of positive relationships from other Power Utilities management I have been to a few power sector Ontario and Canadian Energy sector meetings and always Toronto Hydro Management and 3 of your current VP’S have always been the White Elephant in the entire meeting/meetings I wonder why???
Santers
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