Premier ‘deeply concerned’ over auditor general’s report on OPG

TORONTO—Premier Kathleen Wynne says she’s “deeply concerned” with the auditor general’s report that found the salaries, bonuses and pensions at Ontario Power Generation are overly generous.

The opposition parties pounced on the report, saying the Liberal government allowed salaries and benefits to soar out of control at OPG for the past decade, especially for executives at the government-owned utility.

Wynne says she’s not going to deconstruct the past 10 years, but promises the Liberals will introduce legislation next year that would give the government new powers to control pay levels for public sector executives.

She says no government has had the authority the Liberals will put in place to control compensation packages.

Wynne says there’s a culture at OPG that has been resistant to change, and suggests a similar culture at Queen’s Park prevented governments of all stripes from dealing with the issue.

OPG fired its chief financial officer and two vice-presidents after the auditor’s damning report concluded the utility’s generous salaries and benefits were driving up electricity rates.